Method of tuning light color temperature for led lighting device and application thereof

ABSTRACT

A theory and a technical foundation for building a technical framework of a color temperature tuning technology are disclosed, composing a power allocation algorithm and a power allocation circuitry, wherein the power allocation algorithm is a software for designing a process of dividing and sharing a total electric power between at least a first LED load emitting light with a first color temperature CT1 and a second LED load emitting light with a second color temperature CT2 to generate at least one paired combination of a first electric power X allocated to the first LED load and a second electric power Y allocated to the second LED load to create at least one mingled light color temperature CTapp thru a light diffuser according to color temperature tuning formulas CTapp=CT1·X/(X+Y)+CT2·Y/(X+Y) and X+Y=constant; and the power allocation circuitry is a hardware designed for implementing the process.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application is a Divisional Application of prior application Ser.No. 17/725,715 filed on Apr. 21, 2022. This Application of Ser. No.17/725,715 is a continuation application of prior application Ser. No.17/341,547 filed on Jun. 8, 2021. The application Ser. No. 17/341,547 isa continuation application of prior application Ser. No. 16/533,916filed on Aug. 7, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,063,585. The applicationSer. No. 16/533,916 is a continuation application of prior applicationSer. No. 16/162,460 filed on Oct. 17, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No.10,470,276. The application Ser. No. 16/162,460 is a continuationapplication of prior application Ser. No. 15/702,837 filed on Sep. 13,2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,136,503 B2. The application Ser. No.15/702,837 is a continuation application of prior application Ser. No.15/292,395 filed on Oct. 13, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,795,008. Theapplication Ser. No. 15/292,395 is a continuation application of priorapplication Ser. No. 15/095,540 filed on Apr. 11, 2016, now U.S. Pat.No. 9,497,834. The application Ser. No. 15/095,540 is a continuationapplication of prior application Ser. No. 14/579,248 filed on Dec. 22,2014, now U.S Pat. No. 9,345,112 B2. The U.S. Pat. No. 9,345,112 B2 is acontinuation-in-part of Non-provisional application Ser. No. 13/792,002filed on Mar. 9, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,947,000 B2.

INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The following prior arts with associated disclosures are requested to beincorporated into the current application:

-   -   (1) U.S. Pat. No. 10,334,698 discloses the electrical        characteristics of an LED load from line 30 in column 17 thru        line 47 in column 19, which support the statement that an LED        driver or its equivalent such as a switching circuitry, a        switching element or a controllable semiconductor switching        device belongs to an inherent property of an LED lighting        device. The Applicant herein requests to incorporate the        associated disclosures of the electrical characteristics in U.S.        Pat. No. 10,334,698 in the present application according to        MPEP 2163. 07(b).    -   (2) The switching circuitry, being an LED driver, is an        indispensable component installed in series with a power source        and an LED load to control an adequate range of voltage power        delivered from the power source adaptable to the LED load. The        term of switching circuitry is extensively used in quite many        patented prior arts of LED lighting devices including U.S. Pat.        Nos. 10,225,902/10,321,543/10,433,401/10,763,691, 10,770,916 and        10,827,590 in which the switching circuitry is electrically        installed in series with the power source and the LED load to        serve the function of controlling electric power delivered to        the LED load. The Applicant herein requests to have said        disclosure incorporated for reference in the specification of        the present application according to MPEP 2163.07(b) regarding        Incorporation by Reference.    -   (3) application Ser. No. 16/693,794 filed Nov. 25, 2019 (now        U.S. Pat. No. 10,827,590) is a continuation application of        application Ser. No. 16/402,586 filed on May 3, 2019 (now U.S.        Pat. No. 10,568,183) which in turn is a continuation application        of application Ser. No. 15/702,871 filed on Sep. 13, 2017 (now        U.S. Pat. No. 10,334,698) which in turn is a continuation        application of application Ser. No. 15/161,902 filed on May 23,        2016 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,795,007) which in turn is a        continuation application of Ser. No. 14/579,174 filed on Dec.        22, 2014 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,380,680) which is a continuation        application of application Ser. No. 13/792,002 filed on Mar. 9,        2013 (now U.S. Pat. 8,947,000). In the ABSTRACT and various        claims recited in the prior granted U.S. Pat. No. 10,827,590 the        term of external control device is used to rephrase the terms of        detection device, active infrared ray sensor, touch sensor,        etc., to include touchless interface and direct touch interface        in general, with the meaning of the original disclosure        remaining intact (Rephrasing original disclosure per MPEP        2163.07. The Applicant herein requests to incorporate the        related disclosure in the present application by reference of        the ABSTRACT cited as follows:        -   “A microcontroller based multifunctional electronic switch            uses an external control device design for generating,            detecting and converting an external control signal into a            message carrying sensing signal interpretable and executable            to a microcontroller. Based on a signal format of said            message carrying sensing signal received said            microcontroller operates to perform at least an on/off            switch control mode, a dimming control mode and an            illumination level switching control mode. When said signal            format of said message carrying sensing signal detected is a            long voltage signal said microcontroller operates to perform            said dimming control mode. When said signal format of said            detected is a constant voltage signal, said microcontroller            operates to perform an illumination level switching control            mode”    -   (4) U.S. Pat. No. 8, 866,392 titled as “two-level LED security        light with motion sensor”, filed on Aug. 31,2011 and granted on        Oct. 21, 2014, belongs to the Applicant's Patent. The Applicant        herein requests to incorporate the ABSTRACT of U.S. Pat. No.        8,866,392 in the present application according to MPEP        2163.07(b) to support the application of the invented color        temperature tuning technology to the patented two-level LED        security with motion sensor as follows:        -   [A two-level LED security light with a motion sensor. At            night, the LED light is turned on for a level illumination.            When the motion sensor detects any intrusion, the LED is            switched from the low level illumination to a high level            illumination for a short duration time. After the short            duration time, the LED security light returns to the low            level illumination for saving energy. The LED security light            includes a power supply unit, a light sensing control unit,            a motion sensing unit, a loading and power control unit, and            a light-emitting unit. The light-emitting unit includes one            or a plurality of LEDs which may be turned on or turned off            according to the sensing result from the light sensing            control unit. When the motion sensing unit detects an            intrusion, the illumination of the LED security light can be            immediately turned on to the high level to scare away the            intruder.]    -   (5) Disclosures of a multiple-way electric switch for dimming        control in Wikipedia.com.        -   The Applicant herein requests to incorporate the following            disclosures cited from Wikipedia.com with regard to            descriptions of three-way/two-way electric switches,            three-way lamp and three-way bulb in the present application            to evidence a switching element configured with a multiway            electric switch to control a power distribution between at            least two LED loads are conventional arts invented in year            1902:        -   [three-way, two-way electric switches]        -   The switch used to control a three-way lamp is usually a            rotary switch or a pull-chain switch. Although it is            referred to as a three-way switch, it has four positions,            off, lamp one (low), lamp two (medium), and lamp one and two            (high). When properly connected to a three-way socket            containing a three-way bulb, this switch will first power            one filament, then the other filament, then both, then            return to the off position.        -   [three-way lamp]        -   A three-way lamp, also known as a tri-light, is a lamp that            uses a three-way light bulb to produce three levels of light            in a low-medium-high configuration. A three-way lamp            requires a three-way bulb (a divided load+a switching            element) and socket (built with 4 electrical contact points)            and a three-way electric switch (an external control device            configured with a selection switch comprising 4 switching            positions) Unlike an incandescent lamp controlled by a            dimmer, each of the filaments operates at full voltage, so            the color of the light does not change between the three            steps of light available. In recent years, LED three-way            bulbs have become available as well. Lamp bulbs with dual            filaments were built as early as 1902 to allow adjustable            lighting levels.        -   [three-way bulb]        -   A three-way incandescent bulb has two filaments (divided            loads) to produce different amounts of light. The two            filaments can be activated separately or together, giving            three different amounts of light (a switching element to            generate four power loading options).

The above three paragraphs cited from Wikipedia serve as solid evidenceto prove the validity of the two-way electric switch, the three-wayelectric switch and the five-way electric switch are 120-years oldconventional arts well known to people skilled in the art. Therefore,under no circumstances should any of them be misinterpreted as theprohibited new matter when recited in a claim limitation. The three-way/two circuits technology and its most popular embodiment three-way lampswere invented in year 1902 and after more than100 years they are stillvery popularly sold at various retail outlets including Walmart, Amazon,Home Depot, . . . etc. There are lots of different three-way lampproducts at such retail places and online stores for shopping.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a technology using a microcontrollerwith program codes designed to provide a user friendly solution forperforming on/off switch control, diming control, color temperaturetuning control and timer management for a lighting apparatus or anelectrical appliance.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

A mechanical-type electric switch is a manually operatedelectromechanical device. Its function is based on attaching ordetaching two metal conductors to produce a short or open circuit,respectively. This mechanical-type switch is not suitable for installingin a space where has the concern of gas explosion, because aninstantaneous surge current, produced by suddenly engaging or releasingthe metallic contact of the switch, may generate electric sparks toignite fire.

A controllable semiconductor switching device, such as a triac, hasnearly zero voltage between two output-electrodes in conduction mode andnearly zero current through two output-electrodes in cut-off mode. Solidstate electronic switch utilizing the above unique features of triac forcircuit on/off switch control can avoid generating an electric arc,since the main current pathway of the solid-state switch is not formedby engaging the two metal conductors. It becomes a much better choicethan a mechanical-type electric switch from the stand point of safetyconsideration.

Solid-state electronic switches are constructed with various methods totrigger controllable switching device, like triac or thyristor, intoconduction or cutoff for desired electric power transmission. Forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,637 disclosed a technique using an opticalcoupling element to control bi-directional thyristor or triac inconduction or off state; or another U.S. Pat. No. 6,285,140B1 discloseda technique using microcontroller incorporated with zero-crossing-pointdetector to generate AC-synchronized time-delay pulse to control triacin on or cut-off state so as to transmit variable electric power to alight-emitting diode load.

Mostly a mechanical toggle or spring button of similar setup is usuallyapplied on the electronic switch to facilitate manual on/off switchoperation. The operation of an electronic switch with mechanical togglemeans inevitable contact by hand which is not appropriate in workingplaces such as kitchens or hospitals. To relieve concerns of contagionor contamination resulted through hand contacts, touchless switches aredeveloped. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,863 disclosed a techniqueutilized infrared sensor to activate electronic switch to operate on/offswitch control, and even dimming control presumably by modifying itscircuit design.

In retrospect, the above mentioned prior arts have however still somedrawbacks. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,863 used a complicatedinfrared sensor construction and circuit design; or U.S. Pat. No.6,285,140B1 did not resort to an efficient control of electric powertransmission from power source to various electric impedances which isrequired in lighting apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides amicrocontroller based electronic switch for detecting an externalsignal. The microcontroller based electronic switch comprises a firstcontrollable switching device, a second controllable switching device,and a microcontroller. The first controllable switching device iselectrically connected in series with a power source and a first LEDlighting load for emitting light with a first color temperature. Thesecond controllable switching device is electrically connected in serieswith the power source and a second LED lighting load for emitting lightwith a second color temperature. The detection device is for detectingan external motion signal played by a user and converting said externalmotion signal into a message carrying sensing signal. Themicrocontroller with program codes is written and designed to read andinterpret the message carrying sensing signal generated by saiddetection device, wherein said microcontroller is electrically connectedbetween said first controllable switching device and said detectiondevice, said microcontroller is electrically connected between saidsecond controllable switching device and said detection device. Saidmicrocontroller controls a conduction state or cutoff state of saidfirst controllable switching device and said second controllableswitching device according to said message carrying sensing signalgenerated by said detection device. When the first controllableswitching device and the second controllable switching device are in theconduction state, said microcontroller further controls electric powertransmission levels from the power source to the first LED lighting loadand the second LED lighting load according to specific format of saidmessage carrying sensing signal received from said detection device.

In one exemplary embodiment, the detection device is an infrared raysensor comprising a means for emitting infrared light to form a definedinfrared ray detecting zone and a means for detecting infrared lightreflected from an object moving into said infrared ray detecting zone. Acircuitry responsively generates a message carrying sensing signalhaving a first voltage with a time length corresponding to the timeinterval the object entering and staying in said infrared ray detectingzone. When the object leaves the infrared ray detecting zone, theinfrared ray sensor delivers a second voltage signal.

In one exemplary embodiment, the detection device is an electrostaticinduction sensor comprising a copper sheet sensing unit with adequatelydesigned shape and size to form an electrostatic detecting zone. Acircuitry responsively generates a message carrying sensing signalhaving a first voltage with a time length corresponding to the timeinterval an inductive object enters and stays in said electrostaticdetecting zone. When said object leaves said electrostatic detectingzone, said electrostatic sensor delivers a second voltage signal.

In one exemplary embodiment, the detection device is a direct touchinterface (such as a push button or a touch sensor) connecting with apin of the microcontroller.

When the user contacts the direct touch interface (for example, pressesthe push button) for a time interval, a first voltage signal is detectedby the microcontroller which is a message carrying sensing signal havingthe first voltage with a time length corresponding to the time intervalthe touch interface being contacted. When the user leaves the directtouch interface (for example, releases the button), the direct touchinterface delivers a second voltage signal.

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a lightingapparatus comprising a first LED lighting load, a second LED lightingload, a diffuser, a detection device and a microcontroller basedelectronic switch. The first LED lighting load is for emitting lightwith a first color temperature. The second LED lighting load is foremitting light with a second color temperature. The diffuser covers thefirst LED lighting load and the second LED lighting load. Themicrocontroller based electronic switch comprises a first controllableswitching device, a second controllable switching device, a detectiondevice and a microcontroller. The first controllable switching device iselectrically connected in series with the first lighting load and apower source. The second controllable switching device is electricallyconnected in series with the second lighting load and the power source.The detection device is for detecting an external motion signal playedby a user and converting said external motion signal into a messagecarrying sensing signal. The microcontroller with program codes iswritten and designed to read and interpret the message carrying sensingsignal generated by said detection device, wherein said microcontrolleris electrically connected with said first controllable switching device,said second controllable switching device and said detection device.Said microcontroller controls a conduction state or cutoff state of saidfirst controllable switching device and said second controllableswitching device according to said message carrying sensing signalgenerated by said detection device. When the first controllableswitching device and second controllable switching device are in theconduction state, said microcontroller further controls electric powertransmission levels from the power source to the first LED lighting loadand the second LED lighting load according to specific format of saidmessage carrying sensing signal received from said detection device.With the microcontroller based electronic switch to control the lightingpower levels, the color temperature of the diffused light (also calledthe blended or mingled light) of the first lighting load and the secondlighting load can be controlled.

In one exemplary embodiment, the detection device is an infrared raysensor comprising a means for emitting infrared light to form a definedinfrared ray detecting zone and a means for detecting infrared lightreflected from an object moving into said infrared ray detecting zone. Acircuitry responsively generates a message carrying sensing signalhaving a first voltage with a time length corresponding to the timeinterval of the object entering and staying in said infrared raydetecting zone. When the object leaves the infrared ray detecting zone,the infrared ray sensor delivers a second voltage signal.

In one exemplary embodiment, the detection device is an electrostaticinduction sensor comprising a copper sheet sensing unit with adequatelydesigned shape and size to form an electrostatic detecting zone. Acircuitry responsively generates a message carrying sensing signalhaving a first voltage with a time length corresponding to the timeinterval an inductive object enters and stays in said electrostaticdetecting zone. When said object leaves said electrostatic detectingzone, said electrostatic sensor delivers a second voltage signal.

In one exemplary embodiment, the detection device is a direct touchinterface (such as a push button or a touch sensor) connecting with apin of the microcontroller. When the user contacts the direct touchinterface (for example, presses the push button) for a time interval, afirst voltage signal is detected by the microcontroller which is amessage carrying sensing signal having the first voltage with a timelength corresponding to the time interval the touch interface beingcontacted. When the user leaves the direct touch interface (for example,releases the button), the direct touch interface delivers a secondvoltage signal.

To sum up, the present disclosure is characteristic in, a contactlessinterface between the user and the multifunctional electronic switch iscreated to implement at least two operation modes of the electronicswitch by using software codes written in OTPROM (one-time programmableread only memory) of microcontroller to analyze the message carryingsensing signals.

In order to further understand the techniques, means and effects of thepresent disclosure, the following detailed descriptions and appendeddrawings are hereby referred, such that, through which, the purposes,features and aspects of the present disclosure can be thoroughly andconcretely appreciated; however, the appended drawings are merelyprovided for reference and illustration, without any intention to beused for limiting the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the present disclosure, and are incorporated in andconstitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrateexemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with thedescription, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a microcontroller based electronic switchusing an infrared ray sensor as a detection device applied for two AClighting loads with different color temperatures powered by an AC powersource according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a microcontroller based electronic switchusing an infrared ray sensor applied for two AC lighting loads withdifferent color temperatures powered by an AC power source according toan exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram showing a practical operation of aninfrared ray sensor associated with a microcontroller based electronicswitch according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B is a waveform diagram showing a low voltage sensing signalaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a program executed in a microcontroller basedelectronic switch according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 5 is a voltage waveform diagram of a microcontroller basedelectronic switch when the electronic switch operating in the on/offswitch control mode is in a cut-off state according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a voltage waveform diagram of a microcontroller basedelectronic switch when the electronic switch operating in the on/offswitch control mode is in conduction state according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a voltage waveform diagram of a microcontroller basedelectronic switch operating in the dimming control mode according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8A is a block diagram of a microcontroller based electronic switchfor a DC power source according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 8B is a voltage waveform diagram of the pulse width modulationvoltage signals associated with FIG. 8A according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9A is an application diagram of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure for a lighting apparatus.

FIG. 9B is an application diagram of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure for a lighting apparatus.

FIG. 10A is an application diagram of a traditional popular piece ofunder cabinet light with LED as light source.

FIG. 10B is an application diagram of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure for a LED under cabinet light featured with atouch-less interface between the user and the under cabinet light.

FIG. 10C is an application diagram of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure for a wall switch construction electrically connectedto a ceiling light for the performance of three working modes.

FIG. 10D is another application diagram of an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure for a lighting apparatus with a diffuser ofhollow body accommodating the lighting loads and the microcontrollerbased electronic switch.

FIG. 10E is another application diagram of an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure for a lighting apparatus with a diffuser ofhollow body accommodating the lighting loads and the microcontrollerbased electronic switch.

FIG. 11A is another application diagram of an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure for the direction of motion path detected by aninfrared ray sensor.

FIG. 11B is another application diagram of an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure for the direction of motion path detected by aninfrared ray sensor.

FIG. 11C is another application diagram of an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure for the direction of motion path detected by aninfrared ray sensor.

FIG. 11D is another application diagram of an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure for the direction of motion path detected by aninfrared ray sensor.

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram showing a technical platform forconfiguring and operating a light color temperature tuning and switchingscheme of an LED lighting device using at least two LED lighting loadsemitting lights with different light color temperatures.

FIG. 12-1A is a schematic block diagram of a color temperature tuningcircuitry comprising two LED loads emitting lights with different lightcolor temperatures, respectively being CT1 and CT2, to work with a powerallocation circuitry configured with a two-way electric switch as aswitching device to operate at least two loading options for generatingtwo different diffused light color temperatures.

FIG. 12-1B is a schematic block diagram of a color temperature tuningcircuitry comprising two LED loads emitting lights with different lightcolor temperatures, respectively being CT1 and CT2, to work with a powerallocation circuitry configured with a three-way electric switch as aswitching device to operate at least three loading options forgenerating two different diffused light color temperatures.

FIG. 12-2 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the lightcolor temperature tuning platform using a power allocation circuitryconfigured with an electronic switch comprising a controller working inconjunction with at least two semiconductor switching devices operableby an external control device for controlling a power allocation betweenthe first LED lighting load and the second LED lighting load accordingto a diffused light color temperature tuning algorithm.

FIG. 13-1 is a schematic diagram of a power allocation circuitrycomprising a three-way electric switch configured with an adjustableresistor as a switching device for operating three power loading optionsto a light emitting unit.

FIG. 13-2 is a schematic diagram of another power allocation circuitrycomprising a two-way electric switch configured with two divided loadsand a switching device for operating two power loading options to alight emitting unit.

FIG. 13-3 is a schematic diagram of another power allocation circuitrycomprising a switching device configured with a three-way electricswitch to work with two divided loads for operating three power loadingoptions to a light emitting unit.

FIG. 13-4 is a schematic diagram of another power allocation circuitrycomprising a switching device configured with a three-way electricswitch to work with three divided loads for operating three powerloading options of a light emitting unit.

FIG. 13-5 is a schematic diagram of another power allocation circuitrycomprising a switching device configured with a five-way electric switchto operate with three divided loads for operating five power loadingoptions of a light emitting unit.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a power allocation circuitry configuredwith an electronic switch of vacuum tube working in conjunction with acontrol circuit to control a conduction rate of the vacuum tube fordimming a light intensity of the light emitting unit.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a power allocation circuitry configuredwith an electronic switch of a controllable semiconductor switchingdevice working in conjunction with a microcontroller to control aconduction rate of the electronic switch for dimming a light intensityof the light emitting unit.

FIG. 16-1 is a schematic diagram of a color temperature tuning circuitryconfigured with two LED loads emitting lights with two different colortemperatures CT1 and CT2 respectively connected to two reverselyoperated dimming circuitries of

FIG. 13-1 operated with an adjustable resistor for performing a colortemperature tuning scheme.

FIG. 16-2 is a schematic diagram of another color temperature tuningcircuitry being identical to FIG. 13-2 in terms of circuit structureexcept the two LED loads are designed with two different light colortemperatures namely CT1 and CT2 to operate a color temperature tuningscheme with two different diffused light color temperature performances.

FIG. 16-3 is a schematic diagram of another color temperature tuningcircuitry being identical to FIG. 13-3 in terms of circuit structureexcept the two LED loads are designed with two different light colortemperatures CT1 and CT2 to operate a color temperature tuning schemewith three different diffused light color temperature performances.

FIG. 16-4 is a schematic diagram of another color temperature tuningcircuitry being identical to FIG. 13-4 in terms of circuit structureexcept the three LED loads are designed with three different light colortemperatures CT1, CT2 and CT3 to operate a color temperature tuningscheme with three different diffused light color temperatureperformances.

FIG. 16-5 is a schematic diagram of another color temperature tuningcircuitry being identical to FIG. 13-5 in terms of circuit structureexcept the three LED loads are designed with three different light colortemperatures CT1, CT2 and CT3 to operate a color temperature tuningscheme with five different diffused light color temperatureperformances.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a color temperature tuning circuitryconfigured with two reversely operated dimming circuitries of FIG. 14for operating a color temperature tuning scheme comprising a pluralityof different diffused light color temperatures.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram of a color temperature tuning circuitryconfigured with two reversely operated dimming circuitries of FIG. 15for operating a color temperature tuning scheme comprising a pluralityof different diffused light color temperature performances.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1 , FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a microcontrollerbased electronic switch using an infrared ray sensor as a detectiondevice applied for two AC lighting loads with different colortemperatures powered by an AC power source according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure. A microcontroller based electronicswitch 1 is connected in series to an AC power source 3, and is furtherconnected to a first lighting load 2 a (also indicated by “load a” shownin FIG. 1 ) and a second lighting load 2 b (also indicated by “load b”shown in FIG. 1 ), so as to control AC power delivered to the firstlighting load 2 a and the second lighting load 2 b. The microcontrollerbased electronic switch 1 comprises at least an infrared ray sensor 11,a microcontroller 12, a zero-crossing-point detector 13, and twobi-directional controllable semiconductor switching devices 14 a, 14 b.The bi-directional controllable semiconductor switching device 14 a is afirst controllable switching device. The bi-directional controllablesemiconductor switching device 14 b is a second controllable switchingdevice. The infrared ray sensor 11 is connected to one pin ofmicrocontroller 12 to transmit a low voltage sensing signal to themicrocontroller 12, wherein the low voltage sensing signal represents amessage carrying sensing signal of the infrared ray sensor 11. Thezero-crossing-point detector 13 is connected to another pin ofmicrocontroller 12 and is also electrically coupled to the AC powersource 3 to produce AC power synchronized signals which are fed to themicrocontroller 12. The microcontroller 12 through its one designatedpin is electrically connected to the control electrode of thebi-directional controllable semiconductor switching device 14 a so asusing appropriate conduction phase (characterized by tD_a) to controlthe electrical conduction state of the bi-directional controllablesemiconductor switching device 14 a. Also, the microcontroller 12through its another one designated pin is electrically connected to thecontrol electrode of the bi-directional controllable semiconductorswitching device 14 b so as using appropriate conduction phase(characterized by tD_b) to control the electrical conduction state ofthe bi-directional controllable semiconductor switching device 14 b.

The first LED lighting load 2 a is for emitting light with a low colortemperature (first color temperature), and the second LED lighting load2 b is for emitting light with a high color temperature (second colortemperature). When the bi-directional controllable semiconductorswitching devices 14 a, 14 b are in the conduction state, saidmicrocontroller 12 further controls electric power levels transmittedfrom the AC power source 3 respectively to the first lighting load 2 aand the second lighting load 2 b according to the signal format of themessage carrying sensing signal received from the infrared ray sensor11. In this embodiment, the electric power level X allocated to thefirst lighting load 2 a can vary from a minimum level to a maximumlevel, and at the same time the electric power level Y allocated to thesecond lighting load 2 b can vary reversely and complementarily from themaximum level to the minimum level, such that the sum of X+Y ismaintained at a constant value, but the present disclosure is not sorestricted. An apparent color temperature generated by blending thelights emitted from the two lighting loads 2 a, 2 b may be controlled bythe electric power levels X and Y according to

CTapp=CT2a·X/(X+Y)+CT2b·Y/(X+Y),

wherein CTapp is said apparent color temperature, CT2 a and CT2 b arerespectively the color temperatures of the first and the second lightingload 2 a, 2 b.

For example, the minimum level can be three watts and the maximum levelcan be nine watts, such that the electric power level X of the firstlighting load 2 a varies from three watts to nine watts, andsimultaneously the electric power level Y of the second lighting load 2b varies from nine watts to three watts, wherein a total electric powerof the first lighting load 2 a and the second lighting load 2 b can befixed to twelve watts. When the color temperatures of the first lightingload 2 a and the second lighting load 2 b are respectively 3000K (CT2 a)and 5700K (CT2 b), the apparent color temperature (CTapp) of the blendedor diffused light of the first lighting load 2 a and the second lightingload 2 b can vary nearly from 3700K (nine watts of the first lightingload 2 a and three watts of the second lighting load 2 b) to 5000K(three watts of the first lighting load 2 a and nine watts of the secondlighting load 2 b) depending on the electric power levels fed to thefirst lighting load 2 a and the second lighting load 2 b controlled bythe microcontroller 12.

In another example, the minimum level can be zero watts and the maximumlevel can be twelve watts, such that the electric power level X of thefirst lighting load 2 a varies from zero watts to twelve watts, and theelectric power level Y of the second lighting load 2 b varies fromtwelve watts to zero watts, wherein X+Y watt is fixed to twelve watts.When the color temperatures of the first lighting load 2 a and thesecond lighting load 2 b are respectively 3000K and 5700K, the apparentcolor temperature of the diffused light of the first LED lighting load 2a and the second LED lighting load 2 b can vary from 3000K (twelve wattsof the first lighting load 2 a and no electric power of the secondlighting load 2 b) to 5700K (twelve watts of the second lighting load 2b and no electric power of the first lighting load 2 a) depending on theelectric power levels fed to the first lighting load 2 a and the secondlighting load 2 b. Thus, a desired color temperature may be generated bycontrolling the electric power levels of the first lighting load 2 a andthe second lighting load 2 b to create proper color blending effectunder a fixed total electric power level with this type ofmicrocontroller based electronic switch.

In still another embodiment, the electric power level X allocated to thefirst lighting load 2 a can vary from a first minimum level to a firstmaximum level, and the electric power level Y allocated to the secondlighting load 2 b can vary from a second minimum level to a secondmaximum level, wherein the first minimum level, the first maximum level,the second minimum level and the second maximum level can be referred todifferent electric power levels. However, the present disclosure doesnot restrict the variation ranges of the power levels of the two loads 2a, 2 b.

The infrared ray sensor 11 detects object motions coming from the userand converts the detected result into message carrying low voltagesensing signal with signal formats interpretable by the microcontroller12. The microcontroller 12 decodes the low voltage sensing signals(message carrying low voltage sensing signals) according to the programdesigned and written in its OTPROM (one-time programmable read onlymemory). The microcontroller 12 is with program codes written anddesigned to read and interpret the message carrying sensing signalgenerated by the infrared ray sensor 11. The infrared ray sensor 11 isan exemplary embodiment of a detection device to detect the externalmotion signal played by the user and convert the external motion signalinto a message carrying sensing signal. The microcontroller 12recognizes the working mode that the user has chosen and proceeds toexecute the corresponding loop of subroutine for performing the selectedworking mode. In view of implementing versatile controls of colortemperature and illumination level of a lighting apparatus, at least twoworking modes are provided and defined in the software codes withcorresponding loops of subroutine for execution.

One working mode is on/off switch control mode. In this working mode,according to the low voltage sensing signal from the infrared ray sensor11, the microcontroller 12 operates the bi-directional controllablesemiconductor switching device 14 in conduction state or cut-off statealternatively. More specifically, in this working mode, together withthe zero-crossing-point detector 13, the microcontroller 12 generatesphase delay voltage pulses synchronized with the AC power source 3 ineach AC-half cycle to trigger the bi-directional controllablesemiconductor switching devices 14 a, 14 b to be in proper conductionstates to respectively transmit X-watt and Y-watt electric power to thefirst lighting load 2 a and the second lighting load 2 b, such that afixed amount of total electric power (X+Y watts) is sent to the twolighting loads 2 a, 2 b; or the microcontroller 12 generates a zerovoltage to set the bi-directional controllable semiconductor switchingdevices 14 a, 14 b to be in cut-off state, and thereby ceases totransmit the fixed electric power to the two lighting loads 2 a, 2 b.

Another working mode is switching between low color temperature and highcolor temperature. When the first controllable switching device is in afull conduction state and the second controllable switching device is ina full cutoff state, the light consequently demonstrates the low colortemperature of illumination characteristic. When the first controllableswitching device is in the full cutoff state and the second controllableswitching device is in the full conduction state, the lighting apparatusconsequently demonstrates the high color temperature of illuminationcharacteristic.

Still another working mode is color temperature tuning mode aboutcontrolling different levels of electric power transmission to the twolighting loads 2 a, 2 b by controlling the conduction rate of thebi-directional controllable semiconductor switching devices 14 a and 14b. Using the synchronized signals produced by the zero-crossing-pointdetector 13 as a reference, the microcontroller 12 generates phase delayvoltage pulses synchronized with the AC power source 3 in each AChalf-cycle to trigger the conduction of the bi-directional controllablesemiconductor switching devices 14 to respectively transmit X-watt andY-watt electric power to the first LED lighting load 2 a and the secondLED lighting load 2 b. Responding to the low voltage sensing signalswith specific format from the infrared ray sensor 11, themicrocontroller 12 execute the corresponding loop of subroutine forperforming the color temperature tuning mode, such that the phase delaysof the triggering pulses are continuously changed during each half cycleperiod of the AC power source 3, to render the conduction rate of thebi-directional controllable semiconductor switching devices 14 agradually increasing and, at the same time, the conduction rate of thebi-directional controllable semiconductor switching devices 14 bgradually decreasing, or vice versa. Consequently, the power level X ofthe lighting loads 2 a is gradually increasing and the power level Y ofthe lighting loads 2 b is gradually decreasing, or vice versa. The colortemperature of the blended or diffused light of the two lighting load 2a, 2 b may thus be adjusted in the color temperature tuning mode throughcontrolling the conduction rates of the controllable switching devices14 a, 14 b to change the power levels of the two lighting loads 2 a, 2b. At the end of the color temperature tuning mode, a desired apparentcolor temperature diffused from the two lighting loads 2 a, 2 b can beset and managed by the message carrying sensing signal from the infraredray sensor 11 which is generated according to the user's intention.

For the color temperature tuning mode, additional sub-modes can beperformed in detail. When the detection device generates the firstvoltage sensing signal, said microcontroller manages to output thecontrol signals to the first controllable switching device and thesecond controllable switching device to alternately perform one ofprogrammed combinations of conduction states between the firstcontrollable switching device and the second controllable switchingdevice, wherein the combinations include at least three combinationmodes; wherein the first combination mode is where the firstcontrollable switching device is in a complete conduction state whilethe second controllable switching device is in a cutoff state with thelighting apparatus performing the low color temperature, wherein thesecond combination mode is where the first controllable switching deviceis in a cutoff state while the second controllable switching device isin a complete conduction state with the lighting apparatus performingthe high color temperature, wherein the third combination mode is whereboth the first controllable switching device and the second controllableswitching device are in a cutoff state with the lighting apparatus beingturned off.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of amicrocontroller based electronic switch applied for an AC power sourceaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

As FIG. 2 shows, the microcontroller based electronic switch 1 comprisesan infrared ray sensor 11 as a detection device, a microcontroller 12, azero-crossing-point detector 13, and two bi-directional controllablesemiconductor switching devices 14 a, 14 b. The microcontroller basedelectronic switch 1 is connected respectively through the bi-directionalcontrollable semiconductor switching devices 14 a, 14 b with the firstLED lighting load 2 a and the second LED lighting load 2 b, both havedifferent color temperatures, and then connected to the AC power source3 in a serial fashion. A DC voltage VDD for the circuit system isderived by conventional voltage reduction and rectification from the ACpower 3. The infrared ray sensor 11 is composed of a transmittingcircuit 110 and a receiving circuit 112, wherein the message carryingsensing signal is sent out by a transistor stage M2. The drain of thetransistor M2 is connected to a pin pin_3 of the microcontroller 12 todeliver the message carrying sensing signals to the microcontroller 12.

The zero-crossing-point detector 13 is composed of a transistor Q1 and adiode D3. The collector of the transistor Q1 is connected to a pinpin_10 of the microcontroller 12, the base of the transistor Q1 isconnected to a conducting wire of the AC power source 3 through thediode D3 and a resistor R3. In the positive half-cycle for AC powersource 3, the transistor Q1 is saturated conducting, and the voltage atthe collector of the transistor Q1 is close to zero. In the negativehalf-cycle for AC power source 3, the transistor Q1 is cut-off, and thevoltage at the collector of the transistor Q1 is a high voltage of VDD.Corresponding to the sine wave of the AC power source 3, thezero-crossing-point detector 13 generates therefore signals of squarewave alternatively with a low voltage and a high voltage through thecollector of the transistor Q1. The square wave is synchronized with theAC power source 3 and sent to a pin pin_10 of the microcontroller 12 forthe purpose of controlling conduction phase, and the details thereof aredescribed later. In practice, the bi-directional controllablesemiconductor switching device 14 a can be a triac T1 a, the pin pin_1of the microcontroller 12 is connected to the gate of the triac T1 a tocontrol the conduction or cut-off state of the triac T1 a, or to controlthe conduction rate of the triac T1 a. Also, the bi-directionalcontrollable semiconductor switching device 14 b can be a triac T1 b,the pin pin_2 of the microcontroller 12 is connected to the gate of thetriac T1 b to control the conduction or cut-off state of the triac T1 b,or to control the conduction rate of the triac T1 b. Thus, the firstlighting load 2 a and the second lighting load 2 b are respectivelydriven by triac T1 a and triac T1 b with phase delay pulsescharacterized by time delays tD_a and tD_b with respect to the zerocrossing point of AC power voltage in each AC half-cycle to respectivelydisplay X-watt (or Y-watt) lighting from the first lighting load 2 a andY-watt (or X-watt) power lighting from the second lighting load 2 bcontrolled by infrared ray sensor 11. Thus, the color temperature of thediffused light of the two lighting load 2 a, 2 b may be adjusted byproperly selecting tD-a and tD_b, such that the summation of tD_a andtD_b is a constant, and the total lighting power of the first LEDlighting load 2 a (X) and the second LED lighting load 2 b (Y), X+Y, isa fixed value.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , the infrared ray sensor 11 comprises atransmitting circuit and a receiving circuit. In the transmittingcircuit, an infrared light-emitting diode IR_LED is connected to thedrain of the transistor M1 in a serial fashion, and the gate of thetransistor M1 is connected to an output of the timer 110. In practice,the timer 110 can be a 555 timer IC. The 555 timer IC generates asquare-wave with a frequency of about 3 kHz to modulate the draincurrent of the transistor M1, such that the infrared light-emittingdiode IR_LED provides an infrared light signal with a square wave formwhich is severed as the light source of the infrared ray sensor.

The receiving circuit is an infrared light detection circuit andcomprises a photosensitive diode PD, two serially connected amplifiers112, 114, and a transistor M2. The drain of the transistor M2 isconnected to a pin pin_3 of the microcontroller 12. In practice, theamplifiers 112 and 114 can be LM324 operational amplifier. Thecombination of the amplifier 114 and resistors R7 through R10 is aSchmitt trigger circuit having a threshold voltage, and the thresholdvoltage is produced by the voltage divider composed by resistors R8 andR9. The Schmitt trigger circuit makes possible a high discrimination ofa true detection to a false one.

The photosensitive diode PD is used to receive the infrared light signalfrom the transmitting circuit. If the output voltage of the amplifier112 exceeds the threshold voltage, the amplifier 114 produces a highvoltage applied to the gate of the transistor M2, such that thetransistor M2 is turned on. Therefore, the drain of the transistor M2provides a low voltage sensing signal which is close to zero voltage,and the time length of the low voltage sensing signal is related to thetime period the infrared ray is detected.

In addition, if the photosensitive diode PD does not receive theinfrared light signal, the output voltage of the amplifier 112 is lowerthan the threshold voltage, and then the amplifier 114 provides a lowvoltage to the gate of the transistor M2, such that the transistor M2 isturned off. Therefore, the drain of the transistor M2 provides a highvoltage of VDD. In other words, the pin pin_3 of the microcontroller 12receives either a low voltage sensing signal or a high voltage dependingon whether the infrared ray sensor 11 detects the infrared light or not,wherein the time length of the low voltage sensing signal is about thetime period within which the infrared light is detected.

In other words, the infrared ray sensor 11 generates a sensing signalwhich is characterized by a low voltage within a time length. Thesensing signal with a specific time length of low voltage can beconsidered as a sensing signal format which carries a message to makethe microcontroller 12 to operate in one of at least two working modesaccordingly, wherein one working mode is on/off switch control mode andthe another one is color temperature tuning mode to control theconduction rate of the bi-directional controllable semiconductorswitching devices 14 a and 14 b. Further, still another mode is dimmingcontrol mode. The color temperature tuning mode can give a colortemperature tuning cycle to change the color temperature of the blendedlight, wherein the total power of the blended light is unchanged (X+Ywatts is unchanged during the cycle). The dimming control mode providesdimming cycles to set the total power of the blended light (X+Y watts ischanged during the cycle), wherein the color temperature of the blendedlight is unchanged during the dimming cycle.

Referring to FIG. 2 , FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, FIG. 3A is a schematicdiagram showing a practical operation of an infrared ray sensorassociated with a microcontroller based electronic switch according toan exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 3B is awaveform diagram showing a low voltage sensing signal according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 3A, the infraredlight-emitting diode IR_LED is parallel arranged to the photosensitivediode PD without accurate alignment. When an object, here a human hand,moves in front of the infrared light-emitting diode IR_LED, the infraredlight emitted from the infrared light-emitting diode IR_LED scattersfrom the object surface onto the photo sensing surface of thephotosensitive diode PD.

FIG. 3B shows a waveform of the low voltage sensing signal provided fromthe infrared ray sensor 11. If the photosensitive diode PD does notreceive the infrared light scattered from the target object surface, orthe intensity of the infrared light received by the photosensitive diodePD is insufficient, the drain of the transistor M2 provides a highvoltage H of VDD. Within an appropriate distance, the photosensitivediode PD receives the infrared light scattered from the object surface,and the intensity of the received infrared light is enough to cause theoutput voltage of the amplifier 112 exceeding the threshold voltage, theamplifier 114 produces a high voltage, such that the transistor M2 isturned on, and the drain of the transistor M2 provides a signal with alow voltage L of about zero volt. In other words, when the infrared raysensor 11 detects an object, most commonly a user's hand, purposefullyentering the infrared ray detecting zone, the infrared ray sensor 11generates a low voltage sensing signal, by contrast when an object isnot within the infrared ray detecting zone, the infrared ray sensor 11generates a high voltage. In brief, the infrared ray sensor 11 comprisesa means for emitting infrared light to form the defined infrared raydetecting zone, and a means for detecting infrared light reflected fromthe object moving into the infrared ray detecting zone.

The appropriate distance or the infrared ray detecting zone is definedas an effective sensing range or area of the infrared ray sensor 11. InFIG. 3B, the time length Ts of the low voltage L is approximately equalto the time period that an object stays within the infrared raydetecting zone, wherein the time period is about a few tenths through afew seconds. When the object leaves the infrared ray detecting zone, thesignal delivered from the infrared ray sensor 11 changes from a lowvoltage L to a high voltage H, as shown in FIG. 3B. Hence the sensingsignal generated from the infrared ray sensor 11 is a binary signalreadable to the program written in the OTPROM memory of themicrocontroller 12. The microcontroller based electronic switch 1utilizes specific sensing signal format characterized by the time lengthTs of the low voltage sensing signal to implement at least twofunctions, namely, on/off switch control and dimming control. Byintroducing a preset time T0, the microcontroller 12 can executesubroutine corresponding to the functions of the on/off switch control,the color temperature tuning control and the illumination power dimmingcontrol determined by a comparison scheme of the time length Ts with thepreset time T0. The user can therefore operate the microcontroller-basedelectronic switch 1 in a convenient manner simply by moving his handinto or out of the infrared ray detecting zone of the infrared raysensor 11, and staying his hand there for a time period to selectdesired performance function.

Referring to FIG. 2 , FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B and FIG. 4 , FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a program executed in a microcontroller of a microcontrollerbased electronic switch according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure. The program written in the OTPROM memory of themicrocontroller 12 includes several subroutine loops. These loops arestarted from the loop of steps S1 through S6 of the on/off switchcontrol mode, and may jump into the loop of steps S8 through S10 of thecolor temperature tuning mode (or the dimming control mode) according tothe time length Ts of the low voltage sensing signal. The pin pin_3 ofthe microcontroller 12 receives a high voltage H or a low voltage L fromthe infrared ray sensor 11, wherein the time length Ts of the lowvoltage sensing signal is about the time length which the user's handstays within the infrared ray detecting zone.

The program of the microcontroller 12 starts its execution from the loopof steps S1 and S2 in which the microcontroller based electronic switch1 is off. The program of the microcontroller 12 scans the voltage at thepin pin_3 of the microcontroller 12. If the voltage at the pin pin_3 ofthe microcontroller 12 is high (bit 1), the program of themicrocontroller 12 stays in the loop of steps S1 and S2 that themicrocontroller based electronic switch 1 is off. On the contrary, ifthe voltage at the pin pin_3 is low (bit 0), the program of themicrocontroller 12 jumps into the loop of steps S3 through S6 in whichthe microcontroller based electronic switch 1 is on. At step S4 when themicrocontroller based electronic switch 1 is on, the program of themicrocontroller 12 scans the voltage at the pin pin_3 of themicrocontroller 12. If the voltage at the pin pin_3 of themicrocontroller 12 is low (bit 0), the program of the microcontroller 12jumps to step S5 to compare the time length Ts with a preset time T0. Inpractice, the preset time T0 is between 1 through 3 seconds, but thepresent disclosure is not limited thereto.

At step S5, the program of the microcontroller 12 check the time lengthTs, if Ts is shorter than the preset time T0, step S5 proceeds to stepS6 to detect whether the voltage at the pin pin_3 is momentary a highvoltage H (bit 1). At step S6, if the voltage at the pin pin_3 is thevoltage H, the program goes back to the loop of steps S1 and S2 in whichthe microcontroller based electronic switch 1 is off. At step S6, if thevoltage at the pin pin_3 is low, the program remains in the loop ofsteps S3 through S6 in which the microcontroller based electronic switch1 is on.

To sum up, the on/off switch control mode is described by the loopsconsisting of steps S1 through S6 that the microcontroller basedelectronic switch 1 is operated in off- and on-state rotationally. Themicrocontroller based electronic switch 1 is on or off according towhether the user moves his hand into and then pulls out of the infraredray detecting zone of the infrared ray sensor 11 within the preset timeT0.

At step S5, the program of the microcontroller 12 check the time lengthTs, if the time length Ts is longer than the preset time T0, the programjumps to step S7 to detect whether the time length Ts is longer than ntimes the preset time T0 (n≥2). At step S7, if the time length Ts is notlonger than n times the preset time T0, the program goes back to theloop of steps S3 through S6 that the microcontroller based electronicswitch 1 remains on. At step S7, if the time length Ts is longer than ntimes the preset time T0, the program jumps into a loop consisting ofsteps S8 through S10 to execute a subroutine for the color temperaturetuning mode (or the dimming control mode) of microcontroller basedelectronic switch 1. FIG. 4 does not show the details of subroutineassociated with the color temperature tuning mode (or the dimmingcontrol mode), but a process is described in short as follows. At step9, the program of the microcontroller 12 scans the voltage at the pinpin_3 of the microcontroller 12. The program proceeds to step 10 fromStep 9, if the voltage at the pin pin_3 is low. At step 10, thesubroutine of the microcontroller 12 checks if Ts>nT0. If the voltage atthe pin pin_3 is low for several times, and the time lengths denoted byTs or Ts′ are shorter than n times the preset time T0, the subroutineremains in the rotation loop defined by step 8 through S10, andmicrocontroller 12 continuously increases or decreases the electricpower transmission to the lighting loads 2 a, 2 b by controlling theconduction rates. If the electric power of the lighting load reaches themaximum or minimum electric power, the program of the microcontroller 12responds no more to the low voltage sensing signal. At step 10, if thetime length Ts is longer than n times the preset time T0, the program ofthe microcontroller 12 jumps back to the loop of steps S1 and S2 inwhich the microcontroller based electronic switch 1 is off. Then, theprogram of the microcontroller 12 resumes itself from steps S1 and S2 ina rotational manner to execute the subroutines represented by the stepsshown in FIG. 4 .

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2 , the preset time T0 and thenumber n can be set 2 seconds and 2, respectively. Referring to thesteps executed by the microcontroller 12 in FIG. 4 , if the detectedtime length Ts of the low voltage sensing signal at the pin pin_3 isless than 2 seconds, that means the time period which the hand stayswithin the infrared ray detecting zone is less than 2 seconds, themicrocontroller 12 remains in the current function mode. If the detectedtime length Ts at the pin pin_3 is longer than 4 seconds, that means thetime length which the hand stays within the infrared ray detecting zoneis longer than 4 seconds, the microcontroller 12 changes the currentfunction mode to another one function mode. In other words, if the timelength Ts of the low voltage sensing signal is shorter than the presettime T0, the microcontroller 12 operates either in on/off switch controlmode or in color temperature tuning mode (or dimming control mode). Ifthe detected time length Ts of the low voltage sensing signal is longerthan n times the preset time T0, the microcontroller 12 changes itsprogram execution from the on/off switch control mode into the colortemperature tuning mode (or the dimming control mode) and vice versa.

In another embodiment, the concept of the present disclosure can befurther extended to implement a multifunctional electronic switch havingat least three functions built in one, which are on/off switch control,illumination dimming control and color temperature management. Theprogram written in the OTPROM memory of the microcontroller can bemodified in such a manner that the microcontroller responds not only tothe low voltage sensing signal of the infrared ray sensor, but also to aspecific sequence of the sensing signals. The microcontroller executessubroutines of working modes corresponding to the said three functionsaccording to the detected time length Ts and special sequence of the lowvoltage sensing signals. The first working mode is on/off switch controlmode used to control the conduction or cut-off state of the controllablesemiconductor switching device. The second working mode is dimmingcontrol mode used to control the conduction rates of the controllablesemiconductor switching device. The third working mode is colortemperature management mode used to change alternatively from a highcolor temperature to a low one, or vice versa, or to tune the colortemperature of the diffused light from two lighting loads. When theinfrared ray sensor generates a low voltage sensing signal within thepreset time T0, the microcontroller operates in the on/off switchcontrol mode by controlling the conduction or cut-off state of both thecontrollable semiconductor switching devices alternately. If the timelength Ts of the low voltage sensing signal is longer than n times thepreset time T0, the microcontroller changes its operation from theon/off switch control mode to the color temperature tuning or dimmingcontrol mode. Once in the dimming (tuning) control mode, themicrocontroller executes a subroutine to gradually change the conductionrates of the controllable semiconductor switching devices from themaximum conduction rate to the minimum conduction rate, and then togradually change the conduction rate from the minimum conduction rate tothe maximum conduction rate for completing a dimming cycle wherein theprocess is a free run. In the dimming cycle with free run, the momentwhen the infrared ray sensor provides a high voltage is a dimming endpoint. According to the dimming control mode design, the microcontrollerlocks the conduction rates of the controllable semiconductor switchingdevices at the dimming end point. Thereafter, if the infrared ray sensorgenerates a plurality of low voltage sensing signals, for instance, aplural signal of two consecutive sensing signals, each within the presettime T0, the microcontroller operates in the color temperaturemanagement mode by executing a subroutine to select a color temperatureof the diffused light from two lighting loads through controllingdifferent power levels delivered to the two lighting loads of differentcolor temperatures. It is clear to see the advantage of the presentdisclosure to integrate various switch control functions in one withoutchanging the hardware circuit design. All are simply done by definingthe format of sensing signals and by modifying the program written inthe OTPROM memory in the microcontroller.

As mentioned above, various switch control functions can be integratedin one without changing the hardware circuit design of themicrocontroller and the two loads. There may be variations of detectiondevice in using electronic switch of the present disclosure for touchand touchless applications. For example, (1) Dual detection devicetechnology in which two detection devices are integrated in oneelectronic switch, for instance, by connecting two infrared ray sensorsrespectively with two pins of the microcontroller 12 in FIG. 1 , tocontrol a lighting apparatus: one first detection device sending messagecarrying sensing signal to control the color temperature of illuminationcharacteristic, one second detection device sending message carryingsensing signal to control the light intensity of illuminationcharacteristic; (2) Single detection device technology in which onedetection device is built in an electronic switch to generate messagecarrying sensing signal to control a lighting apparatus by usingdifferent types of signal formats: a first type sensing signal (forinstance, a low voltage within a short preset time T0) to control theon/off performance, a second type sensing signal (for instance, a lowvoltage with a long time length Ts) for dimming the light intensity ofillumination characteristics and a third type sensing signal (forinstance, a plural signals of two consecutive low voltages) forcontrolling the switching between a low color temperature mode and ahigh color temperature mode; (3) Single detection device technologyusing free running technique in response to a specific format sensingsignal to offer selection of color temperature.

The free running subroutine can be designed to apply to an electronicswitch installed on a wall for managing the illumination characteristicsof a remotely located lighting apparatus such as a ceiling lightinstalled on the ceiling. Unless a wireless communication unit isemployed, a typical wall switch is constrained by a single circuit toonly perform one illumination characteristic, being either controllingthe light intensity or controlling the color temperature. If both thecolor temperature and light intensity are required to be managed, theonly way is to use the free running technology to execute one of the twoillumination characteristics. The free running subroutine can be sodesigned such that whenever a power supply is on, the microcontrollerwith software subroutine will check the memory unit to see if a presetcolor temperature or light intensity is established to decide if thefree running subroutine needs to be activated, in the absence of presetdatum, a free running action will be activated to gradually change thelighting intensity from maximum intensity to minimum intensity andcontinuously from minimum intensity to maximum intensity for completinga tuning/dimming cycle on an automatic basis and at any moment during atuning/dimming cycle the user can determine the light intensity byacting a motion signal to lock in the level of the light intensity. Theautomatic tuning/dimming only continues for a short duration and in theabsence of selection by the user, the microcontroller with program codeswill execute a predetermined lighting intensity. Similarly, the samemechanism can be applied for tuning the color temperature to allow theuser to select the desired color temperature during a free tuning cycleby acting a motion signal with the detection device to lock in thedesired level of color temperature. With the help of free runningtechnology, the wall control unit can therefore be used solely foroperating the remaining illumination characteristic.

The concept of free running technology can be further applied to developa life style LED lighting solution where the color temperature isgradually changed according to time schedule programmed for performingdifferent color temperature catering to the living style of human beingsthat people are more used to low color temperature with a warmatmosphere during the night time from 7 PM through 5 AM while during theday time people are more used to the high color temperature for workinghours. A clock can be employed to provide the time information necessaryfor working with a program of scheduled color temperature pattern. Aconduction rate r1 of a first controllable switching device can bevaried in a reverse direction with respect to a conduction rate r2 of asecond controllable switching device, the microcontroller with programcodes executes to vary the conduction rate of the first controllableswitching device according to a programmed pattern of color temperaturechanges in a subroutine; when r1 is equal to zero, the firstcontrollable switching device is in a cutoff state while the secondcontrollable switching device is in a full conduction state, thelighting apparatus performs a high color temperature, 5000K forinstance, which may be the desired color temperature for the noon time,when r1 is maximum, the first controllable switching device is in a fullconduction state while the second controllable switching device is in acutoff state, the lighting apparatus performs a low color temperature,3000K for instance, which may be the desired color temperature for nighttime from 7 PM to 5 AM. A single color temperature may be assigned fornight period from 7 PM through 5 AM for the sleeping time. For day timeit can be programmed to gradually change the values of r1 and r2 frommaximum to 0 between 5 AM to 12 PM and from 0 to maximum between 12 PMto 7 PM. With such arrangement at any time when the power is turned onthe lighting apparatus automatically performs a desired colortemperature according to the programmed pattern of color temperature atscheduled time frame.

Refer to FIG. 5 , FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 in accompanying FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 ,according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 5is a voltage waveform diagram of a microcontroller based electronicswitch in cut-off state when operating in on/off switch control mode,FIG. 6 is a voltage waveform diagram of a microcontroller basedelectronic switch in conduction state when operating in on/off switchcontrol mode, and FIG. 7 is a voltage waveform diagram of amicrocontroller based electronic switch when operating in dimmingcontrol mode. In FIG. 5 , FIG. 6 , and FIG. 7 , the voltage waveforms asshown from the top are, respectively, a sine wave output from the ACpower source 3, an output signal of the zero-crossing-point detector 13that is fed to pin pin_10 of the microcontroller 12, an output signalfrom the pin pini of the microcontroller 12, and a voltage waveformbetween the two ends of the load 2 a. The voltage waveforms are used todescribe the interactions related to the program of the microcontroller12 and the microcontroller based electronic switch 1 in the abovementioned two working modes. As already described above, the voltagesignal generated by the zero-crossing-point detector 13 is a square wavewith a low and a high voltage, which is fed to the pin pin_10 of themicrocontroller 12 and, to be explained later, served as an externalinterrupt trigger signal. The voltage signal from the pin pini of themicrocontroller 12 is sent to the gate of the triac T1 a to control theconduction state of the triac T1 a. In the same way, the similar voltagesignal from the pin pin_2 of the microcontroller 12 is sent to the gateof the triac T1 b to control the conduction state of the triac T1 b.

In the program loops corresponding to the on/off switch control mode andthe dimming control mode, the microcontroller 12 utilizes the externalinterrupt control technique to generate voltage pulses synchronized withAC power. To accomplish it, the program of the microcontroller 12 has asetup with the voltage level variations at the pin pin_10 as externalinterrupt trigger signals. Since the time point of high or low voltagelevel variation in the signal generated by the zero-crossing-pointdetector 13 is the zero crossing point of an AC sine wave, the externalinterrupt process is automatically triggered at the zero crossing pointof the AC power source 3, and the related meaning of the details arefurther described in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 .

Referring to FIG. 5 in accompanying FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 , the program ofthe microcontroller 12 starts from the loop of steps S1 and S2 of on/offswitch control mode, wherein the microcontroller based electronic switch1 is off. The program of the microcontroller 12 scans the voltage at thepin pin_3. If the voltage at the pin pin_3 is a high voltage, themicrocontroller 12 generates a zero voltage at the pin pin_1, which isfed to the gate of the triac T1 a to turn it off. For no current flowingthrough the triac T1 a, the voltage between the two ends of the load 2 ais zero in each AC cycle. In the same way, if the voltage at the pinpin_3 is a high voltage, the microcontroller 12 generates a zero voltageat the pin pin_2, which is fed to the gate of the triac T1 b to turn itoff.

Refer to FIG. 6 in accompanying FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 . If the program ofthe microcontroller 12 detects a low voltage at the pin pin_3, theprogram of microcontroller 12 jumps to steps S3 and S4 of on/off switchcontrol mode, wherein the microcontroller based electronic switch 1 ison. The microcontroller 12 scans within a few microseconds the voltageat the pin pin_10. The external interrupt happens in each AC half cycle(of some milliseconds) at the time point of voltage level variation inthe square wave signal. In the external interrupt process, no otherprogram is executed, instead the program is commanded to go back to themain program instantly. The program of the microcontroller 12 isdesigned based on the time point when the external interrupt occurs,which is also the zero crossing point of the AC power source 3. Aftersome delay times with respected to the time point of the externalinterrupt, the program of the microcontroller 12 generates a pulsesignal at the pin pin_1 and a pulse signal at the pin pin_2. The signalprovided from the pin pin_1 is a zero-crossing-point time-delay pulsehaving a delay time tD_a after the zero crossing point of AC power. Thesignal provided from the pin pin_2 is a zero-crossing-point time-delaypulse tD_b having a delay time tD_b after the zero crossing point of ACpower. The zero-crossing-point time-delay pulse tD_a (or tD_b) isgenerated both in the positive and negative half-cycle of the AC powersource 3, and used to trigger in synchronization with AC power source 3the triac T1 a (or triac T1 b) into conduction, such that the AC powersource 3 delivers in each half AC cycle electric power to the firstlighting load 2 a (or the second lighting load 2 b) which is inproportion to a conduction time tona of the triac T1 a (or ton_b oftriac T1 b). In contrast with the AC power source 3 and the zerocrossing point delay pulses, the voltage waveform on the first lightingload 2 a is depicted in FIG. 6 , and the conduction time ton_a isdesignated. The voltage waveform on the second lighting load 2 b can besimilar to the voltage waveform on the first lighting load 2 a, whereinthe conduction time ton_b of triac T1 b can be different from theconduction time ton_a of the triac T1 a which are respectively resultedfrom different delay time tD_b and delay time tD_a of thezero-crossing-point time-delay pulses.

In the loop of steps S3 and S4 of the microcontroller based electronicswitch 1 being on, the delay times tD_a and tD_b of the zero-crossingdelay voltage pulses are both predetermined values to make a constantaverage electric power delivered to the loads 2 a, 2 b. The colortemperature of the diffused light of the two lighting load 2 a, 2 b maybe controlled by properly selecting tD_a and tD_b, such that thesummation of tD_a and tD_b is a constant, and the total lighting powerof the first lighting load 2 a (X) and the second lighting load 2 b (Y),X+Y, is a fixed value. However, it is not to limit thereto in thepresent disclosure. By designing a minimum time delay, summation of theconduction time ton_a and ton_b of the triac T1 a and the triac T1 b canreach the maximum to make the maximum electric power transmission to theloads 2 a, 2 b. In practice, the loads 2 a, 2 b can be fluorescentlamps, AC LEDs (light emitting diode) screwed-in LED bulbs orincandescent bulbs, wherein said light-emitting diode module comprises afull-wave rectifier bridge and a plurality of light-emitting diodes inseries connected between the two terminals of the rectifier bridgeoutput port. Alternatively, the two loads 2 a, 2 b can be DC LED modulespower by a DC source.

Refer to FIG. 7 in accompanying FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 . In the loop of stepsS3 through S6, the microcontroller based electronic switch 1 is on, theprogram of the microcontroller 12 scans the voltage at the pin pin_3. Ifthe sensing signal fed to the pin pin_3 is a low voltage with the timelength Ts longer than nT0 (n≥2), the program of the microcontroller 12jumps to the loop of steps S8 through S10 for executing the colortemperature tuning mode. When the microcontroller based electronicswitch 1 is in the color temperature tuning mode, the program of themicrocontroller 12 scans the voltage at the pin pin_10, so as togenerate a zero-crossing-point time-delay pulse with a delay time tD_aat the pin pin_1 and to generate a zero-crossing-point time-delay pulsewith a delay time tD_b at the pin pin_2. Simultaneously, the program ofthe microcontroller 12 scans the voltage at the pin pin_3. If thedetected sensing voltage at the pin pin_3 is a low voltage withdifferent time length Ts, the program continuously increases the delaytime tD_a and decreases the delay time tD_b, or vice versa, of thezero-crossing-point time-delay pulses generated respectively at the pinpin_1 and pin pin_2, wherein the varying time length tD_a and tD_b arein proportion to the time length Ts. It should be noted that both delaytimes tD_a and tD_b vary in an appropriate range from “T_(o)” to“1/(2f)−T_(o)”, wherein T_(o)=(½π)sin⁻¹(V_(t)/V_(m)), f is the ACfrequency, V_(t) is the threshold voltage or cut-in voltage of thelighting loads 2 a, 2 b and Vm is the voltage amplitude of the AC powersource 3. This constraint on tD_a and tD_b is required to ensure in eachAC half-cycle to stably trigger the triac T1 a and triac T1 b intoconduction when the threshold voltage Vm of the lighting loads 2 a, 2 bare taken into consideration. FIG. 7 shows for one case the waveforms inthe color temperature tuning mode wherein the delay time tD_a of thetime delay pulse at the pin pin_1 is gradually increased along the timeaxis. The delay time tD_a decides the time length of the conduction timeton_a of triac T1 a. The average electric power delivered to the firstlighting load 2 a, which is in proportion to the time length ton_a, isaccordingly decreased. At the same time for the same case, not shown inFIG. 7 , the delay time tD_b of the time delay pulse at the pin pin_2 isgradually decreased in the reverse direction, the conduction time ton_bof triac T1 b and the average electric power delivered to the secondlighting load 2 b are thus accordingly increased.

Consequently, the color temperature of the diffused light of the twolighting loads 2 a, 2 b may vary gradually from a high temperature to alow one, or vice versa, due to alternatively changing the power levelsof the two lighting loads 2 a, 2 b controlled by the trigger pulses withdelay times tD_a and tD_b. When the voltage at the pin pin_3 becomeshigh to terminate the color temperature tuning mode, the final values ofthe delay times tD_a and tD_b are then stored in the memory of themicrocontroller 12 as new predetermined values to perform illuminationwith a desired color temperature and power level.

In addition, the concept of the present disclosure can also be appliedto the DC power source, wherein the controllable semiconductor switchingdevice and the program of the microcontroller 12 should be modifiedslightly, and the zero-crossing-point detector should be removed.Referring to FIG. 8A, FIG. 8A is a block diagram of a microcontrollerbased electronic switch 1′ using an infrared ray sensor as a detectiondevice for a DC power source according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure. The microcontroller based electronic switch 1′ isconnected to a DC power source 3′ and a first lighting load 2′a in aserial fashion, so as to control the electric power of the DC powersource 3′ delivered to the first lighting load 2′a. Also, themicrocontroller based electronic switch 1′ is connected to the DC powersource 3′ and a second lighting load 2′b in a serial fashion, so as tocontrol the electric power of the DC power source 3′ delivered to thesecond lighting load 2′b. Compared to FIG. 1, the microcontroller basedelectronic switch 1′ in FIG. 8A comprises an infrared ray sensor 11′, amicrocontroller 12′, and uni-directional controllable semiconductorswitching devices 14′a, 14′b. In practice, the uni-directionalcontrollable semiconductor switching devices 14′a, 14′b can be bipolarjunction transistors (BJTs) or metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effecttransistors (MOSFETs). The loads 2′a and 2′b can respectively emit lowcolor temperature light and high color temperature light. The load 2′aand 2′b can be light-emitting diodes or incandescent bulbs, but thepresent disclosure is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B and FIG. 8B, the infrared ray sensor 11′detects a user's hand, for instance, and converts the outcome intomessage carrying low voltage sensing signals readable to themicrocontroller 12′. The microcontroller 12′ decodes the low voltagesensing signal according to the program designed and written in itsOTPROM, so as to make the microcontroller based electronic switch 1′operate in on/off switch control mode and color temperature tuning mode(or dimming control mode) accordingly. In the on/off switch control modewhen the microcontroller based electronic switch 1′ is off, the programof the microcontroller 12′ generates a zero voltage fed to the gate ofthe uni-directional controllable semiconductor switching device 14′a (or14′b) so as to turn off the switching device 14′a (or 14′b). In theon/off switch control mode when the microcontroller based electronicswitch 1′ is on, the program of the microcontroller 12′ generates PWM_a(pulse-width-modulation) (or PWM_b) signal fed to the gate of theuni-directional controllable semiconductor switching device 14′a (or14′b) so as to turn on the switching device 14′a (or 14′b) such that afixed electric power is transmitted from the DC power source 3′ to theload 2′a (or 2′b).

FIG. 8B is a voltage waveform diagram of the PWM signals according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The PWM voltage signalis a square wave signal comprising a zero voltage (or low-voltage) and ahigh voltage, wherein the high voltage drives the uni-directionalcontrollable semiconductor switching device 14′a (or 14′b) intoconduction. If the time length of the high voltage is T2 a (or T2 b) andthe period of the PWM voltage signal is T1, the average electric powerdelivered to the load 2′a (or 2′b) through the uni-directionalcontrollable semiconductor switching device 14′a (or 14′b) isproportional to the ratio T2 a/T1 (or T2 b/T1), which is by definitionthe duty cycle of the PWM voltage signal and is denoted as δ=T2 a/T1 (orδ=T2 b/T1).

More specifically, the electronic switch 1′ controls on/off and dimmingof the first lighting load 2′a and the second lighting load 2′b inresponse to the operation of the infrared ray sensor 11′. When theswitch 1′ is turned on, the microcontroller 12′ sends PWM voltagesignals PWM_a and PWM_b for FIG. 8A controlled by the infrared raysensor 11′: as shown, it is always to generates voltage signals PWM_aand PWM_b with two predetermined time lengths of T2 a and T2 b, whereinT2 a+T2 b=T1 for respectively controlling the load 2 a to generate Xwatts power illumination and the load 2 b to generate Y watts powerillumination, where the summation X+Y is a fixed value. It may be T2a<T2 b or T2 a>T2 b in response to the control signal generated byinfrared ray sensor 11′. In a free running mode for color temperaturetuning in response to the control signal generated by infrared raysensor 11′, T2 a may be varied gradually from a large value to a smallone while T2 b varied gradually from a small value to a large one, andvice versa, wherein T2 a+T2 b=T1. A color temperature generated byblending the lights emitted from the lighting load 2′a and 2′b can thusbe selected when the free running mode for color temperature tuning isterminated by moving object (for example, the user's hand) out of thedetecting zone of the infrared ray sensor 11′, and then the final valuesof T2 a and T2 b would be stored in the memory of the microcontroller11′.

The present disclosure is not limited by the PWM waveforms as depictedin FIG. 8B. In a practical design scheme, the parameters T2 a and T2 bof the PWM voltage signals can have a relation T2 a+T2 b=A, wherein “A”is a predetermined constant. Since the average electric powers deliveredto the lighting loads 2′a and 2′b are respectively proportional to theduty cycles T2 a/T1 and T2 b/T1, both are smaller than one, the totalaverage lighting power is in proportion to the summation of T2 a/T1 andT2 b/T1. When the voltage signals PWM_a and PWM_b are designed withA>T1, the color temperature of the diffused light of the two lightingload 2 a, 2 b can be generated under a total average lighting powerlarger than the one when A=T1. With A<T1, the total average lightingpower is smaller than the one when A=T1. Thus, besides the colortemperature tuning, the illumination power level may be controlledthrough varying the parameter A in a predetermined range by themicrocontroller based electronic switch 1′ of the present disclosure.

The aforementioned microcontroller-based electronic switch can have manyfunctions, such as on/off switch control, dimming control and colortemperature tuning or management control, that are integrated in onewithout additional hardware complexity. This multifunctional electronicswitch can be applied to a lighting apparatus. Please refer to FIG. 9A,a lighting apparatus having the microcontroller-based multifunctionalelectronic switch is provided. The lighting apparatus comprises a base91 a, a first lighting load 92 a, a second lighting load 93 a, adiffuser 94 a and a microcontroller based electronic switch (not shownin the figure). The base 91 a is for disposing the first lighting load92 a, the second lighting load 93 a and the microcontroller basedelectronic switch which has been described in previous embodiments. Theoperation of the microcontroller based electronic switch related tolighting characteristic control of the first lighting load 92 a and thesecond lighting load 93 a can be referred to previous embodiments, thusthe redundant information is not repeated. For diffusing or spreadingout or scattering the different color temperature light emitted by thefirst lighting load 91 a and the second lighting load 92 a, a diffuser94 a is provided to cover the first lighting load 92 a and the secondlighting load 93 a.

Further, the first lighting load 92 a and the second lighting load 93 acan be alternatively disposed on the base 91 a. As shown in FIG. 9B, thefirst lighting load 92 a comprises a plurality of lighting elements, andthe second lighting load 93 a comprises a plurality of lightingelements, wherein a lighting element of the second lighting load 93 a isinserted between the two adjacent lighting elements of the firstlighting load 92 a for obtaining uniform color temperature of thediffused light, but present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Another embodiment of the lighting apparatus can be referred to FIG. 9B.Due to the difference for the appearance of the lighting apparatus, thearrangement of the lighting elements of the first lighting load 92 a andthe lighting elements of the second lighting load 93 a shown in FIG. 9Bis different from that shown in FIG. 9A. As shown in FIG. 9B, thelighting elements of the first lighting load 92 a and the lightingelements of the second lighting load 93 a are both disposed in acircular arrangement. The lighting elements of the first lighting load92 a and the lighting elements of the second lighting load 93 aconstitute a plurality of concentric circles. The concentric circles ofthe first lighting load 92 a and the concentric circles of the secondlighting load 93 a are interlaced for obtaining uniform colortemperature of the diffused or blended light. However, the presentdisclosure is not restricted thereto. An artisan of ordinary skill inthe art will appreciate how to arrange the first lighting load and thesecond lighting load covered by the diffuser to obtain the result ofuniform color temperature of light.

Furthermore, although the above description of the exemplary embodimentstakes infrared ray sensor as a means for detecting user's motion andgenerating sensing signal, the technology of the present disclosure hasno restriction on the types of detection method used. There are quite afew detection methods including touch or touchless means that can beapplied to the present invention of the multifunctional electronicswitch such as an infrared ray sensor (touchless interface), anelectrostatic induction sensor (also touchless interface), a conductionbased touch sensor (direct touch interface), or a push button sensor(direct touch interface). Each detection method may require differentmotion signals to be played by the user but the core technology remainsusing the time length and format of the binary sensing signals as themessage carrier for transmitting the user's choice of working mode. Themicrocontroller thereby decodes or interprets the received messagecarrying sensing signals according to the software program written inthe OTPROM, recognizes the working mode selected by the user andactivates the corresponding loop of subroutine for performanceexecution.

Similar to the infrared ray sensor, the electrostatic induction sensorcan also create a touchless interface. The electrostatic inductionsensor generally comprises a copper sheet sensing unit with adequatelydesign shape and packaged with non-conductive material. Such coppersheet sensing unit is further electrically connected to a signalgenerating circuit similar to the infrared detection sensor unit. Thecopper sensing unit serves as an anode pole and the human body (normallyrefers to finger or hand) serves as a cathode pole to form aconfiguration of a capacitor. When the user's hand is approaching thecopper sensing unit, the electric charges are being gradually inducedand built up on the surface of the copper sensing unit with increasingdensity. Consequently, the copper sensing unit changes its electricstate from zero voltage state to a growing voltage state. Such voltagelevel will continue to grow as the user's hand moving closer and closerto the copper sensing unit till reaching a designed threshold pointwhich will trigger the detection circuit to generate a low voltagesensing signal. The distance between the copper sensing unit and thespace point where the threshold voltage occurs is defined as theeffective detecting zone. Similarly but reversely when the user's handis moving out from an operative point of the detecting zone of thecopper sensing unit, the voltage level will continue to decline tillpassing the designed threshold point which will trigger the cutoff ofthe low voltage sensing signal. The time length of the low voltagesensing signal so generated or in other words the time period betweenmoving in and moving out the effective detecting zone can be designed torepresent the selection of different working modes. If the time lengthis shorter than a preset time interval, it means the user's selection isto perform the on/off switch control mode; if the time length is longerthan a preset time interval, it means the user's selection is to performthe diming or power level control mode; if two or more low voltagesensing signals are consecutively generated within a preset timeinterval, in other words the user's hand moving in and out the detectingzone twice or swing across the detecting zone back and forth, it meansthe user's selection is to perform the color temperature managementmode.

For direct touch detection sensors, such as a touch sensor (for examplea touch pad) or a push button detection sensor, one touch on theconductive base or one instant press on the control button within apreset time interval will trigger the generation of a single sensingsignal which will cause the microcontroller to execute the subroutine ofthe on/off switch control mode; a long touch on a conductive base or along press on a control button longer than the preset time interval willtrigger the generation of a single sensing signal with time lengthlonger than the preset time interval and the microcontrollerresponsively will execute the subprogram of dimming control mode. Doubleinstant touches on the conductive base or double instant press on thecontrol button within a preset time interval will trigger the generationof two consecutive sensing signals which will cause the microcontrollerto execute the subroutine of color temperature management mode.

FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B together provide a good show case to prove thevalue of the user friendly concept of the present invention. Pictureshown in FIG. 10A is a popular piece of under cabinet light with LED aslight source. A manual on/off control switch is built on the right handside of the rectangular housing and a dimming knob is built on the frontpanel facing downward. Under cabinet lights are always installedunderneath the kitchen cabinets to provide sufficient indirectillumination to the user to do the kitchen work. The under cabinetlights and the kitchen cabinet are always installed at approximately thebreast level of the users for the convenience of doing kitchen work sothat the users can comfortably do the kitchen work without bending theirbody and having to work in a glaring environments. The current marketpiece as shown in FIG. 10A is not a user friendly device; the user hasto either use his or her hand to blindly search the locations of theon/off switch and the dimming knob or to bend his or her body to findthe exact locations of the two control units for operation.Additionally, the direct touch to control the on/off switch and dimmeralso brings up concerns of contagion and contamination in preparing foodin the kitchen area and housewives may have to wash their hands morefrequently than necessary.

FIG. 10B is an application of the present invention for a LED undercabinet light featured with a touchless interface between the user andthe under cabinet light. A motion of single swing of user's hand acrossthe detecting zone of the microcontroller based electronic switch lbwill activate the on/off switch mode alternately turning on and turningoff the under cabinet light 2 b. A motion of placing user's hand in thedetecting zone exceeding a preset time interval will activate thedimming mode to allow selection of brightness or power level. And amotion of double swings of user's hand across the detecting zone withina preset time interval will activate the color temperature tuning modeto provide the user a possibility to select a desired illumination colortemperature. The three basic working modes can be easily managed withsimple motions played by the user without the hassles of having toblindly search the control switch and dimming knob, or to bend the bodyto find the location of the control elements or to frequently wash handsto avoid concerns of contagion and contamination in preparing food. Thisis truly a very user friendly exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure compared with what are currently being sold in the market asshown in FIG. 10A.

FIG. 10C is another application of the present invention for a wallswitch construction electrically connected to a ceiling light for theperformance of three working modes. A motion of single swing across thedetecting zone in front of the wall switch 1 c by user's hand within apreset time interval will activate the on/off switch control modealternately turning on and turning off the ceiling light 2 c. A motionof placing a user's hand in front of the wall switch 1 c and stay in thedetecting zone for a time period longer than a preset time interval willactivate the dimming mode to allow the user to select the desiredbrightness. And a motion of double swings across the detecting zonewithin a preset time interval will activate the performance of the colortemperature management mode to provide the user a convenient way toselect a desired illumination color temperature. This new wall switchwhen compared with conventional switch represents a very user friendlyinnovation from the easy operation point of view. The conventional touchbased wall switch is also a virus gathering spot because of use by manyusers and the issue of contagion and contamination is always a validconcern even outside the surgical space.

FIG. 10D is another application of the present invention for a lightingapparatus with a diffuser of hollow body accommodating the lightingloads and the microcontroller based electronic switch. The diffuser isfurthered bonded with a metallic threaded cap with bipolar constructionfor connecting with a power socket. FIG. 10E is a similar art with aflat diffuser bonded with a metal shade to accommodate the lightingloads and the microcontroller based electronic switch. Both have aninfrared ray sensor 310 positioned at the bottom of the diffuser to forma short detection zone for a user to play motion signals for performingthe multi functions of controlling on/off mode, dimming mode, colortemperature tuning mode or delay shutoff mode.

FIGS. 11A-D are another exemplary embodiments of the present inventionusing the aforementioned dual detection device technology for generatinga message carrying sensing signal to control a lighting apparatus. Thedual detection device technology is based on two detection devices whichare respectively connected with two pins of a microcontroller in anelectronic switch to control a lighting apparatus, such as, one firstdetection device generating message carrying sensing signal to controlthe color temperature of illumination and one second detection devicegenerating a message carrying sensing signal to control the lightintensity of illumination. The dual detection device technology can beconstructed in two arrangements: the first arrangement is to install thefirst detection device on one side (left side for instance) of thelighting apparatus and install the second detection device on the otherside (right side) of the lighting apparatus. For instance, in FIG. 10B,the detection device lb being an infrared ray sensor in the center canbe relocated to the left side near the end cap as the first detectiondevice to operate the light intensity control subroutine ofmicrocontroller, a second infrared ray sensor as the second detectiondevice is added and installed on the other end of the light apparatus tooperate the color temperature control subroutine. The second arrangementis to have two detection devices, here, two infrared ray sensors 310,aligned next to each other along the direction of motion path as shownin FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B, or in FIG. 11C and FIG. 11D. A hand swing fromleft side to enter the detecting zones formed by the two infrared raysensors 310, as shown in FIG. 11A and FIG. 11C, will cause the firstinfrared ray sensor of the electronic switch to first detect the motionsignal before the second infrared ray sensor can detect the same motionsignal, the first infrared ray sensor will thereby generate a voltagesensing signal, the microcontroller with a pin connected with the firstinfrared ray sensor accordingly interprets such voltage sensing signalto activate a subroutine to operate the light intensity control mode.Thus, a first hand-swing from the left side to swing across thedetecting zones will turn on the light, a second left side started handswing will alternately change the light to perform a different state oflight intensity including off mode, a left side started hand swing toenter the detecting zones and stay for a time length longer than apreset time interval will activate a free running dimming cycle for theuser to select the desired light intensity. Similarly but contrarily interms of direction for playing motion signal, a right side started handswing to swing across the detecting zones formed by the two infrared raysensors, as shown in FIG. 11B and FIG. 11D, will cause the secondinfrared ray sensor to first detect the motion signal before the firstinfrared ray sensor can detect such motion signal, the second infraredray sensor thereby will generate another voltage sensing signal sendingto the microcontroller of the electronic switch, the microcontrollerwith another pin connected to the second infrared ray sensor accordinglyoperates to activate a different subroutine of the microcontroller tooperate the color temperature tuning mode. Thus, a right side startedmotion signal to swing across the detecting zones formed by the twoinfrared ray sensors will turn on the light to perform the highest colortemperature mode, a second right side started motion signal to swingacross the detecting zones will alternately change the light to performa different state of programmed color temperatures including the lowestcolor temperature mode, a right hand started motion signal to enter andstay in the detecting zone for a time length longer than a preset timeinterval will activate a free running color temperature tuning cycle forthe user to select a desired color temperature for the light. Also, whenthe hand (or an object) leaves the infrared ray detecting zones, theinfrared ray sensors deliver a second voltage sensing signal toterminate the corresponding subroutine.

The present invention of the microcontroller based electronic switch canbe extensively used in the control of lighting performance for manyapplications can be simply grouped into three main categories ofapplication based on the installation location of the present inventionin relation with the lighting devices used as follows:

-   -   1) The microcontroller based electronic switch is installed        inside a wall electric outlet for controlling a remotely located        lighting apparatus which users are unable to reach to play        motion control. FIG. 10C is a representative example.    -   2) The microcontroller based electronic switch is installed        inside the housing of a lighting apparatus which users are able        to reach and play motion control. FIG. 10B of a under cabinet        light is a representative example.    -   3) The microcontroller based electronic switch is directly        installed inside a light emitting device with a detecting sensor        hiding behind a diffuser and a detecting zone is formed outside        nearby the diffuser. FIG. 10D is a light bulb application with a        microcontroller electronic switch built inside the bulb and an        infrared ray detecting sensor installed at bottom of the bulb to        form an infrared detecting zone near by the bottom of the light        bulb. FIG. 10E is a pendant application with an infrared ray        detection sensor built inside and an infrared ray detecting        sensor installed at the bottom of a flat diffuser. Both are        representative examples classified as detecting sensor installed        at bottom of diffuser to form a detecting zone near by the        diffuser.

In short summary, the detection device such as the infrared ray sensordepicted in FIG. 1 , FIG. 8A, FIGS. 10B-10E and FIGS. 11A-11D is a typeof an external control device which is an interface between a user and apower loading and control circuit of any electrical apparatus to enablethe user to access to the designed functional performance. An externalcontrol device of the present invention not limited to theaforementioned detection device type is also a crucial and necessarycomponent designed to enable a user to play various functionalperformances of an electrical apparatus such as a lighting device forcontrolling lighting performances including on/off, dimming or colortemperature tuning. In other words, an external control device is aninherent function and property of any lighting device. In thisapplication, the term of detection devices including infrared sensor,push button, touch pad, voltage divider, remote control device, etc. canbe collectively rephrased as external control devices according to MPEP2163.07 (1) because they are also designed to serve as interfacesbetween the user and the power loading and control circuitry of thelighting device to enable the user to control the lighting performancesof the lighting device. The terminology of detection device while beinga trivial terminology is practically identical to the terminology ofexternal control device based on their respective functionaldescriptions serving as an interface between a user and a power loadingand control circuitry of a lighting device yet the term of externalcontrol device is more universal and simple terminology commonly used inthe electrical industry. Accordingly the message carrying sensing signalcan also be reworded as the external control signal for purpose ofsimplification.

A key technology of the present invention involves an electronic switchusing a microcontroller with program codes to receive, interpret andexecute an external control signal outputted by an external controldevice to control performances of lighting characteristics including atleast a light color temperature of an LED lamp. The LED lamp comprises afirst LED lighting load emitting light with a low light colortemperature electrically connected to a first controllable switchingdevice and a second LED lighting load emitting light with a high lightcolor temperature electrically connected to a second controllableswitching device, wherein the low color temperature can be designed withany value or within any subrange in a range between 2000K and 3000K, andthe high color temperature can be designed with any value or within anysubrange in a range between 4000K and 6500K. The first controllableswitching device and the second controllable switching device arerespectively coupled with the microcontroller. The microcontroller uponreceiving the external control signal accordingly activates acorresponding subroutine to output a first control signal and a secondcontrol signal to respectively control a conduction rate of the firstcontrollable switching device and a conduction rate of the secondcontrollable switching device to respectively transmit electric powersto the first LED lighting load and the second LED lighting load suchthat a mingled light colour temperature thru a light diffuser of the LEDlamp is thereby determined according to a programmed combination ofconduction rates of the first controllable switching device and thesecond controllable switching device. The external control device servesas an interface between human and the electronic switch to output theexternal control signal readable and interpretable to themicrocontroller. The external control device may be configured as atouchless interface or as a direct touch interface. The touchlessinterface may be implemented by a wireless method to receive a wirelessexternal control signal and convert the wireless external control signalinto the external control signal with a format readable andinterpretable to the microcontroller. The wireless external controlsignal can be transformed from a motion signal generated with aninfrared ray motion sensor, or it can be an electromagnetic wirelesssignal generated with a wireless transmitter, or it can be transformedfrom a voice signal generated with an A.I. (artificial intelligence)based device. The direct touch interface on the other hand uses a wiredmethod to generate the external control signal set by a user, whereinthe external control signal can be generated from a push button, a touchpad, a voltage divider, a power interruption switch or a conduction rateof a phase controller set by a user, wherein, if the external controlsignal is an analog signal, a conversion circuitry may be included inthe external control device or programmed and embedded in themicrocontroller to convert the analogue signal into a digital signalreadable and interpretable to the microcontroller.

As a summary, in view of FIG. 1 and FIG. 8A with respective waveforms ofFIGS. 5-7 and FIG. 8B for respectively controlling electric powerdelivered to two LED loads, the present invention teaches a method ofperforming a diffused light color temperature tuning process for an LEDlighting device. The method includes using at least two sets of LEDloads emitting lights with different light color temperatures to becovered by a light diffuser to form a light-emitting unit to generate adiffused light with a diffused light color temperature, using a powerallocation circuitry to execute a power allocation algorithm to manage apower allocation between the two LED lighting loads or between anyselected pairs of multiple LED lighting loads of a light-emitting unitto configure a diffused light color temperature switching scheme andusing an external control device to operate a pick and play process forselecting a diffused light color temperature performance in the diffusedlight color temperature switching scheme.

A diffused light color temperature tuning formula for determining thediffused light color temperature CTapp, wherein CTapp is originallynamed as the apparent color temperature of diffused lights of twolighting loads thru the light diffuser, as depicted in the presentinvention and recited below represents a common platform for configuringany diffused light color temperature tuning scheme using at least twoLED lighting loads emitting lights with at least two different lightcolor temperatures respectively expressed by CT2 a and CT2 b:

CTapp=CT2a·X/(X+Y)+CT2b·Y/(X+Y)

=CT2a·R1+CT2b·R2,

-   -   with 0≤R1≤1, 0≤R2≤1 and R1+R2=1;

wherein R1=X/(X+Y) represents a ratio of a total electric powerallocated to the first LED lighting load and R2=Y/(X+Y) represents theratio of the total electric power allocated to the second LED lightingload. If we further combine the formula R1+R2=1 with the formulaCTapp=R1·CT2 a+R2·CT2 b and operate a couple steps of calculations, adifferent algorithm respectively for calculating R1 and R2 can bederived in relation to CT2 a, CT2 b and CTapp as follows:

R1=(CT2b−CTapp)/(CT2b−CT2a),

-   -   with R2=1−R1 or

R2=(CTapp−CT2a)/(CT2b−CT2a),

-   -   with R1=1−R1.

While the original formula CTapp=R1·CT2 a+R2·CT2 b may serve todemonstrate and prove an effect of the diffused light color temperatureof CTapp with given R1, R2, CT2 a and CT2 b, it would require a circuitengineer to use a trial and error approach to ultimately identifyadequate values of R1 and R2 for achieving a desired diffused lightcolor temperature CTapp.

The above two algorithms respectively for calculating R1 and R2 providea quick estimation of different power allocation ratios to be used fordesigning and organizing a diffused light color temperature switchingscheme with given CT2 a, CT2 b and different desired values of CTapp.For instances, when CT2 a=3000 K (Kelvins) and CT2 b=5000 K (Kelvins)are respectively used for constructing the first LED lighting load andthe second LED lighting load, wherein if a diffused light colortemperature CTapp at 3750 K is desired , then R1=(CT 2 b−CT app)/(CT2b−CT2 a)=(5000K−3750 K)/(5000K−3000 K)=0.625 and consequentlyR2=1−R1=1−0.625=0.375, wherein if a diffused light color temperatureCTapp at 3000 K is desired , then R1=(CT2 b−CT2 a)/(CT2 b−CT2 a)=1 andR2=0, wherein if a diffused light color temperature at 5000 K isdesired, then R1=0 and R2=1 according to the two algorithms.

The core value of the present invention is the above depicted commonplatform for configuring and performing any diffused light colortemperature switching scheme. In the context of tuning diffused lightcolor temperature, FIG. 1 and FIG. 8A illustrate two exemplaryembodiments of the present invention based on a microcontroller workingas a power allocation circuitry for respectively controlling electricpowers delivered to two LED loads. Although there are many differentembodiments for designing a power allocation circuitry for executing thepower allocation algorithm, the present invention is not restricted orlimited to any specific power allocation circuitry for operating anydiffused light color temperature tuning scheme.

When the power allocation circuitry is configured with amicrocontroller, the power allocation ratios R1 and R2 respectivelyrepresent a first conduction rate of a first semiconductor switchingdevice electrically connected between a switching circuitry and a firstLED lighting load and a second conduction rate of a second semiconductorswitching device electrically connected between the switching circuitryand a second LED lighting load, wherein the microcontroller outputs afirst control signal to control the first conduction rate of the firstsemiconductor switching device for delivering a first electric power tothe first LED lighting load to emit a light with a low light colortemperature and a second control signal to control the second conductionrate of the second semiconductor switching device for delivering asecond electric power to the second LED load to emit a light with a highlight color temperature such that a diffused light with a diffused lightcolor temperature is generated thru a diffuser covering the first LEDlighting load and the second LED lighting load, wherein for tuning thediffused light color temperature to a lower diffused light colortemperature, the microcontroller upon receiving an external controlsignal from an external control device operates to increase the firstconduction rate of the first semiconductor switching device to increasethe first electric power delivered to the first LED lighting load and atthe same time operates to decrease the second conduction rate of thesecond semiconductor switching device to decrease the second electricpower delivered to the second LED lighting load with the same pace suchthat a total electric power T delivered to the light-emitting unit or atotal light intensity of the light-emitting unit thru the diffuserremains essentially unchanged; wherein for tuning the diffused lightcolor temperature to a higher diffused light color temperature, themicrocontroller upon receiving the external control signal from theexternal control device operates to decrease the first conduction rateof the first semiconductor switching device to decrease the firstelectric power delivered to the first LED lighting load and at the sametime operates to increase the second conduction rate of the secondsemiconductor switching device to increase the second electric powerdelivered to the second LED lighting load with the same pace such thatthe total electric power T delivered to the light-emitting unit or atotal light intensity of the light-emitting unit thru the diffuserremains essentially unchanged. The first semiconductor switching device,the second semiconductor switching device and the microcontroller may befurther integrated in an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit)as an LED driver, a constant current control circuit may also beintegrated to serve a constant current driver.

The power allocation circuitry may not need a microcontroller to executethe power allocation algorithm. Instead a selection switch may servesimilar functions as the microcontroller for executing the powerallocation algorithm though a microcontroller has more advantages than aselection switch in terms of energy saving, color temperature tuningvariety and operation safety. The power allocation circuitry in suchcase is often configured to operate with a plurality of loading optionsrespectively corresponding to different combinations of a plurality ofLED lighting loads to be connected with the switching circuitrycontrolled by the selection switch. For instance, when thelight-emitting unit is composed of at least two LED lighting loadsincluding a first LED lighting load with a first light color temperatureand a second LED lighting load with a second light color temperature,wherein the second light color temperature is higher than the firstlight color temperature, the power allocation circuitry for operatingthe at least two LED lighting loads can be designed to optionallyperform a diffused light color temperature switching scheme with twodifferent diffused light color temperature performances or a diffusedlight color temperature switching scheme with three different diffusedlight color temperature performances. For configuring the diffused lightcolor temperature switching scheme with two diffused light colortemperature performances, the loading options include a first loadingoption with only the first LED lighting load being connected to theswitching circuitry, namely R1=1 and R2=0, to perform a first diffusedlight color temperature and a second loading option with only the secondLED lighting load being connected to the switching circuitry, namelyR1=0 and R2=1, to perform a second diffused light color temperature,wherein the second diffused light color temperature is higher than thefirst diffused light color temperature. For configuring the diffusedlight color temperature switching scheme with three diffused light colortemperature switching performances, a third loading option is added withboth the first LED lighting load and the second LED lighting load beingjointly connected to the switching circuitry to share the total electricpower from the switching circuitry, namely R1+R2=1 to perform a mediumdiffused light color temperature in a range between the first diffusedlight color temperature and the second diffused light color temperature,namely CT1<CTapp<CT2.

Similarly, when a light-emitting unit is composed of three LED lightingloads including a first LED lighting load emitting light with a firstlight color temperature or a low light color temperature, a second LEDlighting load emitting light with a second light color temperature or amedium light color temperature and a third LED lighting load emittinglight with a third light color temperature or a high light colortemperature, wherein the third light color temperature is higher thanthe second light color temperature and the second light colortemperature is higher than the first light color temperature, thediffused light color temperature tuning formula can be configured asfollows:

CTapp=CT2a·X/(X+Y+Z)+CT2b·Y/(X+Y+Z)+CT2c·Z/(X+Y+Z)

wherein CTapp is the diffused light color temperature of an illuminationof the light-emitting unit thru the light diffuser, CT2 a is the firstlight color temperature of the first LED lighting load powered by anelectric power X, CT2 b is the second light color temperature of thesecond LED lighting powered by an electric power Y and CT2 c is thethird light color temperature of the third LED lighting load powered byan electric power Z, wherein CT2 a, CT2 b and CT2 c are alsorespectively represented as CT1, CT2 and CT3, wherein (X+Y+Z) representsa total electric power T delivered to the light emitting unit; whereinX/(X+Y+Z)=R1 represents a power allocation ratio of the total electricpower T allocated to the first LED lighting load, Y/(X+Y+Z)=R2represents the power allocation ratio of the total electric power Tallocated to the second LED lighting load and Z/(X+Y+Z)=R3 representsthe power allocation ratio of the total electric power T allocated tothe third LED lighting load, the diffused light color temperature tuningformula is therefore identically expressed as

CTapp=CT1·R1+CT2·R2+CT3·R3

-   -   with 0≤R1≤1, 0≤R2≤1, 0≤R3≤1 and R1+R2+R3=1;

The power allocation circuitry for operating the three LED lightingloads can be designed to optionally perform a diffused light colortemperature switching scheme with three different diffused light colortemperature performances or a diffused light color temperature switchingscheme with five different diffused light color temperatureperformances. For configuring the diffused light color temperatureswitching scheme with three different diffused light color temperatureperformances, the loading options include a first loading option withonly the first LED lighting load being connected to the switchingcircuitry thru operating the selection switch, namely R1=1 and R2=R3=0,to generate a low diffused light color temperature with CTapp=CT1, asecond loading option with only the second LED lighting load beingconnected to the switching circuitry thru operating the selectionswitch, namely R2=1 and R1=R3=0, to generate a medium diffused lightcolor temperature with CTapp=CT2, and a third loading option with onlythe third LED lighting load being connected to the switching circuitrythru operating the selection switch, namely R3=1 and R1=R2=0, togenerate a high diffused light color temperature with CTapp=CT3. Forconfiguring the diffused light color temperature switching scheme withfive diffused light color temperature performances the loading optionsinclude a first loading option with only the first LED lighting loadbeing connected to the switching circuitry thru operating the selectionswitch, namely R1=1 and R2=R3=0, to generate the low diffused lightcolor temperature with CTapp=CT1, a second loading option with both thefirst LED lighting load and the second LED lighting load being jointlyconnected to the switching circuitry thru opening the selection switch,namely R1+R2=1, and R3=0 to generate a low-medium diffused light colortemperature with CT1<CTapp<CT2, a third loading option with only thesecond LED lighting load being connected to the switching circuitry thruoperating the selection switch, namely R2=1 and R1=R3=0, to generate amedium diffused light color temperature with CTapp=CT2, a fourth loadingoption with both the second LED lighting load and the third LED lightingload being jointly connected to the switching circuitry thru operatingthe selection switch, namely R1=0 and R2+R3=1, to generate a high-mediumdiffused light color temperature with CT2<CTapp<CT3, and a fifth loadingoption with only the third LED lighting load being connected to theswitching circuitry thru operating the selection switch, namely R3=1 andR1=R2=0, to generate a high diffused light color temperature withCTapp=CT3.

Furthermore, the power allocation circuitry may be configured with atleast one resistor being electrically connected to at least one of thefirst LED lighting load emitting light with a low light colortemperature and the second LED lighting load emitting light with a highlight color temperature, wherein the at least one resistor is designedto control a distribution of a constant current electric power from theswitching circuitry, wherein if the first LED lighting load is connectedwith the at least one resistor, the electric power allocated to thefirst LED lighting load will be less than the electric power allocatedto the second LED lighting load such that a diffused light colortemperature with such configuration will generate a high-medium diffusedlight color temperature in a range between the high diffused light colortemperature and the medium diffused light color temperature, wherein ifthe at least one resistor is electrically connected to the second LEDlighting load, the electric power allocated to the first LED lightingload will be higher than the electric power allocated to the second LEDlighting load with an effect that the diffused light color temperatureso configured will generate a low-medium diffused light colortemperature in a range between the low diffused light color temperatureand the medium diffused light color temperature. With such arrangementthe light-emitting unit with three LED lighting loads with differentlight color temperatures can be configured to perform at least fivedifferent diffused light color temperatures including the low diffusedlight color temperature, the low-medium diffused light colortemperature, the medium diffused light color temperature, thehigh-medium diffused light color temperature and the high diffused lightcolor temperature.

Lastly the above disclosed diffused light color temperature tuningformulas for calculating a blended effect of light color temperaturewith two or three LED lighting loads with different light colortemperatures to form a light-emitting unit are invented on an opticalfoundation of using a weighted average of brightness contribution ratiofrom each of the two or three member LED lighting loads with differentlight color temperatures in the total lumens outputted by thelight-emitting unit thru a diffuser and the brightness contributionratio is measured by the lumens output from a member LED lighting loaddivided by the total lumens outputted by all member LED loads.Specifically, if the lumens per watt for the first LED load is L1, forthe second LED load is L2 and for the third LED load is L3, thebrightness contribution ratio for the first LED lighting load is equalto B1=L1·X/(L1·X+L2·Y) and the brightness contribution ratio for thesecond LED lighting load is B2=L2·Y/(L1·X+L2·Y). Now, if we define alumens efficiency ratio K1 being equal to L1/L2=K1 meaning the lumensper watt of the low light color temperature LED divided by the lumensper watt of the high light color temperature LED, the two brightnesscontribution ratios can be rewritten as B1=K1·X/(K1·X+Y) andB2=Y/(K1·X+Y), then consequently an adjusted diffused light colortemperature tuning formula can be expressed as CTaapp=CT2 a·B1+CT 2 b·B2or equivalently

CTapp=CT2a·K1·X/(K1·X+Y)+CT2b·Y/(K1·X+Y)

wherein CTaapp is the adjusted diffused light color temperature usingweighted brightness contribution ratios to come out a blended lightcolor temperature thru the diffuser, wherein if K1=1 meaning the lumensper watt of the first LED load is equal to the lumens per watt of thesecond LED load, then B1=R1, B2=R2 and CTaapp=CTapp=CT2 a·R1+CT2 b

·R2=CT2 a·X/(X+Y)+CT2 b·Y/(X+Y).

If the lumens per watt of the first LED load is different from thelumens per watt of the second LED lighting load, the power allocationratio is not equal to the brightness ratio, then the diffused lightcolor temperature is required to be calculated according the adjusteddiffused light color temperature tuning formula. Presently, the lumensper watt for 5000 K LED is universally at 100 lumens per watt from allLED manufacturers and the lumens per watt for 3000K LED varies from 90lumens to 95 lumens from different manufacturers with an average at 92.5watt. To reflect such difference of brightness per watt between the lowlight color temperature 3000K and the high light color temperature 5000K, the lumens efficiency ratio K1, defined as lumens per watt of the lowlight color temperature divided by the lumens per watt of the high lightcolor temperature, is applied to the first wattage X in the abovedescribed formulas, wherein K1 ranges between 0.9 and 1, namely0.9≤K1≤1, wherein B1 which represents an adjusted power allocation ratioR1 or a brightness contribution ratio is then modified as R1a=B1=X·K1/(X·K1+Y), R2 a which represents an adjusted power allocationratio R2 or the brightness contribution ratio is then rewritten as R2a=B2=Y/(X·K1+Y), consequently an adjusted diffused light colortemperature is rewritten as CT aapp=CT1·R1 a+CT2·R2a=CT1·(X·K1)/(X·K1+Y)+CT2·Y/(X·K1+Y).

By the same principles for a light-emitting unit comprising three LEDloads respectively emitting light with a low light color temperature(3000K), a medium light color temperature (4000K) and a high light colortemperature (5000K), an adjusted power allocation ratio due todescriptions of lumens per watt of the low light color temperature LEDis provided as follows:

R1a=X·K1/(X·K1+Y·K2+Z)

R2a=Y·K2/(X·K1+Y·K2+Z)

R3a=Z/(X·K1+Y·K2+Z)

Accordingly, CT aapp=CT1·R1 a+CT 2·R2 a+CT 3·R3 a,

wherein K2, defined as lumens per watt of the medium light colortemperature LED divided by the lumens per watt of the high light colortemperature LED, is applied to the second electric power Y in the abovedescribed formulas, wherein K2 ranges between 0.9 and 1, namely0.9≤K2≤1.

Although the above complicated formulas represent what a precise valueof a diffused light color temperature needs to be calculated, in realitythere is no practical need to go with such more complicated calculationsbecause a deviation between using CTapp formula and the CTaapp formulafor calculating a diffused light color temperature is negligibly smallbeing under 1% difference for which the human eyes can't really sensethe difference.

The following table shows calculated values of CTapp and CTaapp for tencombinations of power allocations for a 10 watt LED light comprising afirst LED lighting load with a 3000 K light color temperature and asecond LED lighting load with a 5000 K light color temperature.According to the below table the deviations for ten combinations ofdifferent power allocations are all within 1% variation ranging0%-0.96%. Based on the calculated data, it appears a more simplediffused light color temperature tuning formula CT app=CT2 a·X/(X+Y)+CT2b·Y/(X+Y) serves a practical need better than a complicated adjusteddiffused light color temperature tuning formula CTaapp=CT2a·(X·K1)/(X·K1+Y)+CT2 b·Y/(X·K1+Y) does as the light color temperaturedifferences are all below 1% which is not sensible by human eyes. Inconclusion, the formula CTaapp provides a technical foundation for thepresent disclosure while the formula CTapp can better satisfy apractical need as the ending diffused light color temperatures from areessentially of no difference. Both CTapp formula and CTaapp are good forserving as a diffused light color temperature tuning algorithm.

VALUE/ VALUE/ POWER ALLOCATION CTapp CTaapp 3000K 5000K K1 = 1 K1 =0.925 DEVIATION 0 watt. 10 Watt 5000K 5000K   0% 1 watt. 9 Watt 4800K4814K 0.29% 2 watt. 8 Watt 4600K 4624K 0.52% 3 watt. 7 Watt 4400K 4432K0.72% 4 watt. 6 Watt 4200K 4237K 0.88% 5 watt. 5 Watt 4000K 4038K 0.94%6 watt. 4 Watt 3800K 3837K 0.96% 7 watt. 3 Watt 3600K 3633K 0.91% 8watt. 2 Watt 3400K 3425K 0.73% 9 watt. 1 Watt 3200K 3214K 0.44% 0 watt.10 Watt 3000K 3000K   0%

It is to be noticed that when the lumens per watt of the 3000K LED loadis lower than the lumens per watt of the 5000K LED load, the weightedbrightness of the LED light can actually be different from an expectedlumens level, though such deviations may not be quite sensible by humaneyes. For example, when only the 3000 K LED load is connected to theswitching circuitry, a total lumens outputted by the light-emitting unitthru the diffuser is actually 925 lumens while when only the 5000 K LEDload is connected to the switching circuitry, the total lumens outputtedby the light-emitting unit thru the diffuser is 1000 lumens. When boththe 3000 K LED load and the 5000 K LED load are connected, the weightedbrightness may also be deviated from an expected lumens level in view ofthe lumens per watt being slightly different between the 3000 K LED loadand the 5000 K LED load and the nonlinear V-I curve of an LED chip mayalso impact the power distribution between the 3000 K LED load and the5000 K LED load within a small range which is not sensible by humaneyes. It is therefore more appropriate when describing the light colortemperature tuning process to use that a total light intensity remainsessentially unchanged while the light color temperature is adjusted bythe algorithm of power allocation process.

Shown in FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of the method disclosed inthe present invention, which provides a common platform for designingand configuring any light color temperature switching scheme for an LEDlighting device, wherein a switching circuitry 102 outputs a DC power Tto a power allocation circuitry 103, wherein the power allocationcircuitry 103 working in conjunction with a diffused light colortemperature tuning algorithm and an external control device 104 operatesto execute the diffused light color temperature switching scheme.

Also shown in FIG. 12-2 is another embodiment of FIG. 12 , wherein thepower allocation circuitry 103 comprises a controller 1035, a firstsemiconductor conductor switching device 1034 and a second semiconductorswitching device 1036, wherein the controller 1035 outputs controlsignals to control a first conduction rate of the first semiconductorswitching device 1034 and a second conduction rate of the secondsemiconductor switching device 1036 to execute a reverse yetcomplementary power adjustment process between a first electric power P1delivered to the first LED load 1051 emitting light with the low colortemperature and a second electric power P2 delivered to the second LEDload 1052 emitting light with the high color temperature such that atotal light intensity remains essentially unchanged while a diffusedlight color temperature thru a light diffuser 1053 of the light-emittingunit 105 can be adjusted according to the diffused light colortemperature tuning algorithm and operated by an external control device.

The power dimming circuitry, the power loading circuitry or the powerallocation circuitry, whichever name is selected to use, has the sametechnical meaning when the electric load is a lighting load. However, ifthe electric load is an electric motor, then the term of dimmingcircuitry may not be as adequate as the term of power loading circuitryand the term of power allocation circuitry because it sounds confusingto dim an electric motor. Also, when there is only one electric loadinstalled in a lighting circuitry the term of power loading circuitryand the term of power allocation circuitry are adequate to use; in theold days some 120 years ago when there were no electronic switchesavailable an electric engineer could only use electric switches eitherconfigured with an adjustable resistor or with an adjustable load tocontrol and divide the input power between a power delivered to theelectric load and a power consumed by the adjustable resistor, in suchsituations the term of power allocation circuitry appears to be moreadequate than the power loading circuitry; however, when there are twoelectric loads electrically connected to share a power input such thatthe total power consumption of the system remains unchanged, the term ofpower allocation circuitry is best qualified name for describing thefunction of dividing and delivering an input power respectively to atleast two loads. With the above being said, the term of power allocationcircuitry is a more universal name to use regardless the electric loadbeing a light bulb or an electric motor, regardless the electriccircuitry being a single load circuit or a multiple load circuit orregardless the switching device being an electric switch or anelectronic switch.

The power allocation circuitry is the most important technology in thelighting industry. Two hundred years ago when there were no electriclamps available on the earth and people had to use gas lights, oil lampsor candle lamps for night time illumination. Over the past 200 years thelighting industry has rapidly evolved from a crude and primitiveindustry to a highly sophisticated industry thanks to the variouslighting technologies invented and developed during such periodincluding electric bulbs and various lighting control devices. To avoidany misunderstanding of some long invented devices and technologiesbeing misinterpreted as lack of support, it is necessary to provide anintroduction of the evolution history of the power allocationtechnologies.

The evolution history of the dimming technology, the power loadingtechnology or the power allocation technology, whichever name is to becalled, for the past 120 years can be divided into three time stageswith a first time stage being a first time period going backward to year1907 before the vacuum tube was invented, during such first time period“electric switches” such as using an adjustable resistor (FIG. 13-1 ) asa switching device to operate a resistor divided process for configuringthe dimming or the power allocation circuitry, or using a dividableelectric load (FIGS. 13-2, 13-3, 13-4 and 13-5 ) as a switching deviceto operate a load divided process for configuring the dimming or thepower allocation circuitry were the main stream technologies formanaging the power allocation or dimming performance; a second timestage is a second time period from year 1907 thru year 1960 with thevacuum tube being invented to become a main stream switching deviceworking in conjunction with a control circuit to form an “electronicswitch” for managing the power allocation or dimming performance andthen a third time stage is a third time period from year 1961 up to thepresent with the semiconductor transistor being invented to replace thevacuum tube to be a much more power efficient switching device, duringsuch third time period the semiconductor transistor has unbelievablyevolved into a highly sophisticated electronic device thru continuousbreakthrough of micro miniature technologies. Currently with the samesize of the originally invented semiconductor chip containing only onesemiconductor transistor it can now contain millions of semiconductortransistors. With the above being said, both the electric switches andthe electronic switches are very long established ordinary skills withthe electric switches being at least 120 years old and the electronicswitches being at least 60 years.

During the first time stage the switching devices used were theadjustable resistor or the dividable load to create a multi-wayswitching device for performing different power loading options. Theswitching device using the adjustable resistor and the switching deviceusing the dividable load are collectively referred as “electricswitches” (as shown in FIG. 13-1 , FIG. 13-2 , FIG. 13-3 , FIG. 13-4 andFIG. 13-5 ) which use basic technologies taught in school including anexternal control device configured with a selection switch comprising aplurality of switching positions to be operated by a user to activatedifferent power loading options thru different corresponding electricalcontact point. Such basic technologies are long established conventionalarts having been invented and used by the electrical industry for atleast 120 years; during the second time stage the switching device usedwas the vacuum tube electrically coupled with a control circuit to forma power allocation circuitry and during the third time stage the vacuumtube was replaced by the semiconductor transistor to become the mainstream switching device for configuring the dimming, the power loadingor the power allocation circuitry, both the vacuum tube with the controlcircuit and the semiconductor transistor with the control circuit arecollectively referred as “electronic switches”.

Both the electric switches and the electronic switches are longestablished conventional arts having been used in the industry for along history with the electric switches being at least 120 years oldtechnologies and the electronic switches being at least 60 years oldtechnologies. To prove the electric switches as described are 120-yearold conventional arts please refer to Wikipedia.com for information anddefinitions of three-way two-circuit switches, three-way lamp, three-waybulb and three-way socket, wherein all necessary implementing skillsincluding the power allocation circuitry, the external control deviceconfigured with a selection switch comprising a plurality of switchingpositions electrically connected to different contact points of theswitching device are employed to configure the three-way lamp.Additionally, please also refer to the disclosures of both the electricswitch and electronic switch recited in the specification from line 24thru line 48 under column 1 of the prior granted Patent '503 describingthe structural comparisons between the electric switch and theelectronic switch. Therefore, the electric switch, the electronic switchand their respective applications are adequately supported by thedisclosure recited under the Background section in the specification.

With the above being said, the electric switches, the electronicswitches and their respective implementing components and methods areconventional arts well known to people skilled in the art, thereforethey do not need to be disclosed in detail.

Please refer to FIG. 13-1 , FIG. 13-2 , FIG. 13-3 , FIG. 13-4 and FIG.13-5 , which represent various power allocation circuitries configuredwith different electric switches for controlling a power loading orpower allocation to an electric load; wherein FIG. 13-1 is a schematicdiagram of a power allocation circuitry comprising a three-way electricswitch configured with an adjustable resistor as switching device foroperating three power loading options to a light emitting unit; whereinFIG. 13-2 is a schematic diagram of another power allocation circuitrycomprising a two-way electric switch configured with two divided loadsand a switching device for operating two power loading options to alight emitting unit; wherein FIG. 13-3 is a schematic diagram of anotherpower allocation circuitry comprising a three-way electric switchconfigured with two divided loads and a switching device for operatingthree power loading options to a light emitting unit; wherein FIG. 13-4is a schematic diagram of another power allocation circuitry comprisinga three-way electric switch configured with three divided loads and aswitching device for operating three power loading options to a lightemitting unit; and wherein FIG. 13-5 is a schematic diagram of anotherpower allocation circuitry comprising a five-way electric switchconfigured with three divided loads and a switching device for operatingfive power loading options to a light emitting unit.

FIG. 13-1 is an electric switch based dimming, power loading circuitryor power allocation circuitry configured with an electric load L whichcould be a lighting load or an electric motor, a switching devicecomprising an adjustable resistor Ra (the dimmer) designed with aplurality of contact points for selecting different lengths of theresistor Ra to respectively control different power loading options tothe electric load L, and an external control device being a selectionswitch designed with a plurality of switching positions respectivelyconnected to each of the contact points of the switching device (theadjustable resistor Ra) to enable a user to select a power loadingoption by operating a switching position to connect a power source V_(T)to a corresponding contact point for delivering a power allocation tothe electric load L.

This multilevel switching technology operated with a single circuit wasthe main stream skill popularly used in the electrical industry beforethe invention of the electronic device vacuum tube in year 1907. Lightdimming using an adjustable resistor has existed for at least 120 yearsand is a very old conventional art well known to people skilled in theart.

FIG. 13-2 is another electric switch based dimming circuitry configuredwith a dividable electric load L being composed of a first load L1 and asecond load L2 electrically connected in parallel; a two-way switchingdevice electrically installed between a power source V_(T) and theelectric load L to operate two power loading options; and an externalcontrol device being a selection switch configured with at least twoswitching positions respectively and electrically connected to at leasttwo electrical contact points to respectively activate a correspondingpower loading option of the switching device; wherein when a firstswitching position is operated by the user, the power source V_(T) iselectrically connected to only the first load L1 thru a first contactpoint to activate the first power loading option delivered to theelectric load L, wherein when a second switching position is operated bythe user, the power source V_(T) is electrically connected to the secondload L2 thru a second contact point to activate the second power loadingoption delivered to the electric load L. The selection switch is oftendesigned with one extra switching position being a third switchingposition, wherein when the third switching position is operated thepower source V_(T) is disconnected from the electric load L to turn offthe light.

FIG. 13-3 is another electric switch based dimming circuitry configuredwith a dividable electric load L being composed of a first load L1 and asecond load L2 electrically connected in parallel; a three-way switchingdevice electrically installed between a power source V_(T) and theelectric load L to operate three power loading options; and an externalcontrol device being a selection switch configured with at least threeswitching positions respectively and electrically connected to at leastthree electrical contact points to respectively activate a correspondingpower loading option of the switching device; wherein when a firstswitching position is operated by the user, the power source V_(T) iselectrically connected to only the first load L1 thru a first contactpoint to activate the first power loading option delivered to theelectric load L, wherein when a second switching position is operated bythe user, the power source V_(T) is electrically connected to both thefirst load L1 and the second load L2 thru a second contact point toactivate the second power loading option delivered to the electric loadL and wherein when a third switching position is operated by the user,the power source V_(T) is electrically connected to the second load L2thru a third contact point to activate the third power loading option tothe electric load L. The selection switch is often designed with oneextra switching position being a fourth switching position, wherein whenthe fourth switching position is operated the power source V_(T) isdisconnected from the electric load L to turn off the light.

FIG. 13-4 is another electric-switch based dimming circuitry configuredwith a dividable electric load L being composed of three divided loadsincluding a first load L1, a second load L2 and a third load L3electrically connected in parallel, a three-way switching deviceelectrically installed between a power source V_(T) and the electricload L to operate three power loading options including a first powerloading option to connect the power source V_(T) to the first load L1, asecond power loading option to connect the power source V_(T) to thesecond load L2 and a third power loading option to connect the powersource V_(T) to the third load L3, and an external control device beinga selection switch configured with at least three switching positionsrespectively and electrically connected to at least three electricalcontact points to respectively activate a corresponding power loadingoption of the switching device; wherein when a first switching positionis operated by the user, the power source V_(T) is electricallyconnected to only the first load L1 thru a first contact point toactivate the first power loading option delivered to the electric loadL, wherein when a second switching position is operated by the user, thepower source V_(T) is electrically connected to the second load L2 thrua second contact point to activate the second power loading optiondelivered to the electric load L and wherein when a third switchingposition is operated by the user, the power source V_(T) is electricallyconnected to the third load L3 thru a third contact point to activatethe third power loading option to the electric load L. The selectionswitch is often designed with one extra switching position being afourth switching position, wherein when the fourth switching position isoperated the power source V_(T) is disconnected from the electric load Lto turn off the light.

FIG. 13-5 is configured with a dividable electric load L being composedof three divided loads including a first load L1, a second load L2 and athird load L3 electrically connected in parallel, a five-way switchingdevice electrically installed between a power source V_(T) and theelectric load L to operate five power loading options including a firstpower loading option to connect the power source V_(T) to the first loadL1, a second power loading option to connect the power source V_(T) toboth the first load L1 and the second load L2, a third power loadingoption to connect the power source V_(T) to the second load L2, a fourthpower loading option to connect the power source V_(T) to both thesecond load L2 and the third load L3 and a fifth power loading option toconnect the power source V_(T) to the third load L3, and an externalcontrol device being a selection switch configured with at least fiveswitching positions respectively and electrically connected to at leastfive electrical contact points to respectively activate a correspondingpower loading option of the switching device; wherein when a firstswitching position is operated by the user, the power source V_(T) iselectrically connected to only the first load L1 thru a first contactpoint to activate the first power loading option, wherein when a secondswitching position is operated by the user, the power source V_(T) iselectrically connected to both the first load L1 and the second load L2thru a second contact point to activate the second power loading option,wherein when a third switching position is operated by the user, thepower source V_(T) is electrically connected to the second load L2 thrua third contact point to activate the third power loading option ,wherein when a fourth switching position is operated by the user, thepower source V_(T) is electrically connected to both the second load L2and the third load L3 thru a fourth contact point to activate the fourthpower loading option, wherein when a fifth switching position isoperated by the user, the power source V_(T) is electrically connectedto the third load L3 thru a fifth contact point to activate the fifthpower loading option. The selection switch is often designed with oneextra switching position being a sixth switching position, wherein whenthe sixth switching position is operated the power source V_(T) isdisconnected from the electric load L to turn off the light.

Such dimming or power allocation circuitries configured with a multi wayelectric switch to operate a single load (FIG. 13-1 ), twin loads (FIG.13-2 , FIG. 13-3 ) or triple loads (FIG. 13-4 , FIG. 13-5 ) to activatedifferent power loading options for performing a dimming or a powerallocation function for an electrical apparatus are more than 120-yearold conventional arts; the composing elements including external controldevice, selection switch, switching positions, electrical contactpoints, switching device, multi-way switching device are conventionalarts well known to people skilled in the art, therefore they do not needto be disclosed in detail.

The color temperature tuning technology of the present invention isbuilt on a technical foundation of blending two LED light colortemperatures respectively generated from two reversely operated dimmingor power allocation circuitries comprising two LED loads emitting lightwith different light color temperatures thru a light diffuser accordingto a software algorithm including a color temperature tuning formula anda total power control formula; wherein when a first power allocated to afirst LED load emitting light with a first color temperature isincreased, a second power allocated to a second LED load iscorrespondingly and proportionally decreased, or vice versa, such thatthe total light intensity in terms of lumens remains unchanged while theblended color temperature of the lighting device can be successfullytuned. With the above being said, a color temperature tuning circuitryneeds to be configured with at least two LED loads emitting lights withdifferent light color temperatures and it is impossible to configure acolor temperature tuning circuitry with only one LED load. Other thanthat, the circuit structure of a color temperature tuning circuitryconfigured with two LED loads with different color temperatures isidentical to the circuit structure of the three-way lamp configured withtwo LED loads with same color temperature for performing three differentlight intensities.

Please refer to FIG. 16-1 , FIG. 16-2 , FIG. 16-3 , FIG. 16-4 and FIG.16-5 in light of FIG. 13-1 , FIG. 13-2 , FIG. 13-3 , FIG. 13-4 and FIG.13-5 , which represent 5 different embodiments of the color temperaturetuning technology;

FIG. 16-1 is built on a technical foundation of using two reverselyoperated dimming circuitries of FIG. 13-1 electrically connected inparallel to a constant current power source V_(T), at least one of thetwo reversely operated dimming circuitries is designed with anadjustable resistor Ra installed between the constant current powersource V_(T) and an electric load L1 or L2 emitting lights withdifferent light color temperatures, by adjusting the at least oneadjustable resistor Ra, the power levels respectively allocated to thetwo load L1 and L2 can be varied to create different blended light colortemperatures thru a diffuser. In this color temperature tuningembodiment of FIG. 16-1 , the resistor based dimming circuitry and itscomposing elements are conventional arts of the long establishedelectric switches configured with ordinary skills having been used formore than 120 years as shown in the FIG. 13-1 .

FIG. 16-2 is identical to FIG. 13-2 in term of circuit structure exceptthe two LEDs are specifically designed with two different light colortemperatures CT1 and CT2 for forming a color temperature tuningcircuitry; wherein the power allocation circuitry is configured with atwo-way electric switch to operate at least two loading options, whereinthe selection switch of the external control device is designed with twoswitching positions connecting to two contact points of the two-wayelectric switch and the two-way electric switch is designed to operatetwo loading options thru connecting the two contact points respectively;wherein when the first switching position is operated by the user, theconstant current power source V_(T) is delivered to only the first loadL1 thru the first contact point to activate the first power loadingoption and a first diffused light color temperature CTapp=CT1 istherefore generated according to the color temperature tuning formulaCTapp=X/(X+Y)CT1+Y/(X+Y)CT2=X/(X+0)CT1 +0/(X+0)CT2=CT1; and wherein whenthe second switching position is operated by the user, the power sourceV_(T) is electrically connected only to the second load L2 thru thesecond contact point to activate the second power loading option togenerate a second diffused light color temperature, namely CTapp=CT2according to the color temperature tuning formulaCTapp=X/(X+Y)·CT1+Y/(X+Y)·CT2=0/(0+Y)·CT1+Y/(0+Y)·CT2=CT2. FIG. 16-3 isidentical to FIG. 13-3 in terms of circuit structure except the two

LED loads are specifically designed with two different light colortemperatures namely CT1 and CT2 for forming a color temperature tuningcircuitry; wherein the power allocation circuitry is configured with athree-way electric switch to operate at least three loading options,wherein the selection switch of the external control device is designedwith three switching positions respectively and electrically connectedto three contact points of the three-way electric switch; wherein whenthe first switching position is operated by the user, the constantcurrent power source V_(T) is electrically connected to only the firstload L1 thru the first contact point to activate the first power loadingoption delivered to the electric load L1 and a first diffused lightcolor temperature CTapp=CT1 is therefore generated according to thecolor temperature tuning formulaCTapp=X/(X+Y)CT1+Y/(X+Y)CT2=X/(X+0)CT1+0/(X+0)CT2=CT1; wherein when thesecond switching position is operated by the user, the power sourceV_(T) is electrically connected to both the first LED load L1 and thesecond LED load L2 thru the second contact point to activate the secondpower loading option, wherein if the first load L1 and the second loadL2 are designed with equal wattage, namely X=Y a second diffused lightcolor temperature CTapp=X/(X+Y)CT1+Y/(X+Y)CT2=(CT1+CT2)/2 is therebygenerated; and wherein when the third switching position is operated bythe user, the power source V_(T) is electrically connected only to thesecond load L2 thru the third contact point to activate the third powerloading option to generate a third diffused light color temperature,namely CTapp=CT2, according to the color temperature tuning formulaCTapp=X/(X+Y)CT1+Y/(X+Y)CT2=0/(0+Y)CT1+Y/(0+Y)CT2=CT2. In thisembodiment of FIG. 16-3 , the circuitry of the three-way lamp and itscomposing elements are conventional arts configured with ordinary skillshaving been used for more than 120 years as described in the descriptionof FIG. 13-3 .

FIG. 16-4 is identical to FIG. 13-4 in terms of circuit structure exceptthe three LED loads are specifically designed with three different colortemperatures respectively being a low light color temperature CT1, amedium light color temperature CT2 and a high light color temperatureCT3 for forming the color temperature tuning circuitry, wherein theselection switch of the external control device is designed with threeswitching positions; wherein when the first switching position isoperated by the user, the constant current power source V_(T) iselectrically connected to only the first load L1 thru the first contactpoint to activate the first power loading option delivered to theelectric load L1 and a first diffused light color temperature CTapp=CT1is thereby generated; wherein when the second switching position isoperated by the user, the constant current power source V_(T) iselectrically connected to only the second LED load thru the secondcontact point to activate the second power loading option and theconstant current power V_(T) being delivered only to the electric loadL2 to generate a second diffused light CTapp=CT2 is thereby generated;and wherein when the third switching position is operated by the user,the constant current power source V_(T) is electrically connected toonly the electric load L3 thru the third contact point to activate thethird power loading option and the constant current power Vt isdelivered only to the electric load L3 to generate a third diffusedlight CTapp=CT3.

FIG. 16-5 is identical to FIG. 13-5 in terms of circuitry structureexcept the three electric loads are specifically designed with threedifferent color temperatures, namely CT1, CT2 and CT3 for forming thecolor temperature tuning circuitry; wherein the power allocationcircuitry is configured with a five way selection switch to operate atleast five loading options; wherein when the first switching position isoperated to activate the first power loading option, a first diffusedlight color temperature CTapp=CT1 is therefore generated according tothe color temperature tuning formula; wherein when the second switchingposition is operated to activate the second power loading option, asecond diffused light color temperature CTapp=(CT1+CT2)/2 is thereforegenerated according to the color temperature tuning formula; whereinwhen the third switching position is operated to activate the thirdpower loading option, a third diffused light color temperature CTapp=CT2is thereby generated according to the color temperature tuning formula;wherein when the fourth switching position is operated to activate thefourth power loading option, a fourth diffused light color temperatureCTapp=(CT2+CT3)/2 is thereby generated according to the colortemperature tuning formula; and wherein when the fifth switchingposition is operated to activate the fifth power loading option, a fifthdiffused light color temperature CTapp=CT3 is thereby generatedaccording to the color temperature tuning formula.

The color temperature tuning technology of the present invention iscomposed of a software technology and a hardware technology to jointlyperform a color temperature switching scheme: the software technology isconfigured with the color temperature tuning algorithm or the powerallocation algorithm comprising the color temperature tuning formulaCTapp=X/(X+Y) CT1+Y/(X+Y)CT2 and the total power control formulaX+Y=Constant as disclosed in the specification of the prior granted U.S.Pat. No. 10,136,503 of the U.S. Pat. No. 10,470,276; the hardwaretechnology is configured with a pair of reversely operated dimmingcircuitries working in conjunction with a switching device to activatedifferent power loading options to generate different blended lightcolor temperatures thru a diffuser. For the above five embodiments FIG.16-1 ,FIG. 16-2 , FIG. 16-3 , FIG. 16-4 and FIG. 16-5 , the switchingdevices are made with electric switches which are long establishedconventional arts having been used in the electrical industry for atleast 120 years. The dimming circuitries or power allocation circuitriesusing electric switches as described are well known to people skilled inthe art, therefore they do not need to be disclosed in detail. With theabove being clarified, the embodiments FIG. 16-1 , FIG. 16-2 , FIG. 16-3, FIG. 16-4 and FIG. 16-5 are fully supported.

Please refer to FIG. 17 which represents a color temperature tuningcircuitry configured with a pair of two dimming circuitries of FIG. 14installed with two vacuum tube being electronic switches forrespectively and reversely controlling power levels delivered to the twoLED loads emitting lights with different color temperatures in order togenerate a blended light color temperature. The technology of using theelectronic switch of vacuum tube is no longer used in the industry dueto obsoleteness.

Please refer to FIG. 18 , which represents a color temperature tuningcircuitry configured with a pair of two dimming circuitries of FIG. 15installed with two semiconductor switching devices being electronicswitches for respectively and reversely controlling the power levelsdelivered to the two LED loads emitting lights with different lightcolor temperatures to generate a blended light color temperature.

With the above being explained and justified, the electric switches andelectronic switches installed for operating at least one dimmingcircuitry are conventional arts having been practiced for at least halfa century. Therefore, they do not need to be disclosed in detail. Pleasealso notice FIG. 18 is identical to FIG. 8A disclosed in the priorgranted U.S. Pat. No. 10,136,503.

Please refer to FIG. 12 which is block diagram drawn to illustrate ageneral platform for configuring a color temperature tuning circuitrycomprising an external control device which can be the infrared raysensor, the push button, the electrostatic sensor, the wireless remotecontrol device, the push button, the voltage divider, the powerinterruption switch and etc. (cited from line 24 thru line 48 in column25 of the patent '503), a switching circuitry 102 which is to convert apower source 101 to a total electric power T adaptable to LED loads 1051and 1052, a power allocation circuitry 103 which can be the electricswitch or the electronic switch to divide the total electric power Tinto a first electric power P1 for driving the first LED load 1051 and asecond power P2 for driving the second LED load 1052, and the two LEDloads 1051, 1052 emitting lights with different light colortemperatures. FIG. 12 shows that the external control device 104 issupported by the infrared sensor 11′ in FIG. 8A which is obviously or atleast implicitly recognized as an embodiment of external control deviceto people skilled in the art, the power allocation circuitry 103 issupported by a power loading module formed by the microcontroller 12′,the first unidirectional semiconductor switching device 14′a and thesecond unidirectional semiconductor switching device 14′b in FIG. 8A,which is obviously or at least implicitly recognized as an embodiment ofpower allocation circuitry to people skilled in the art.

Please refer to FIG. 12-1A which is a schematic block diagram under thegeneral platform FIG. 12 , drawn to illustrate a color temperaturetuning circuitry with the power allocation circuitry 103 beingconfigured with a two way electric switch to operate two loading options1031 and 1033, the external control device 104 being a selection switch1041 is configured with two switching positions respectively connectableto the two loading options 1031 and 1033; wherein when the selectionswitch 1041 is connected to the first switching position for operatingthe first loading option 1031, the total electric power T is thereforedelivered to the first LED lighting load 1051 to generate theillumination with the low diffused light color temperature, wherein whenthe selection switch 1041 is connected to the second switching positionfor operating the second loading option 1033, the total electric power Tis therefore delivered to second LED lighting load 1052 to generate theillumination with the high diffused light color temperature.

Also shown in FIG. 12-1B is an embodiment of FIG. 12 , wherein the powerallocation circuitry 103 comprises three loading options 1031, 1032,1033 to be optionally connected to the switching circuitry 102 forreceiving a constant current power T for generating different diffusedlight color temperature performances according to the diffused lightcolor temperature switching scheme. FIG. 12-1B illustrates a colortemperature tuning circuitry under the general platform of FIG. 12 withthe power allocation circuitry 103 being configured with a three-wayelectric switch to operate three loading options 1031, 1032 and 1033,the external control device 104 being a selection switch 1041 isconfigured with three switching positions respectively connectable tothe three loading options 1031, 1032 and 1033; wherein when theselection switch 1041 is connected to the first switching position foroperating the first loading option 1031, the total electric power T istherefore delivered to the first LED lighting load 1051 to generate theillumination with the low diffused light color temperature, wherein whenthe selection switch 1041 is connected to the second switching positionfor operating the second loading option 1032, the total electric power Tis therefore delivered to both the first LED lighting load 1051 andsecond LED lighting load 1052 to generate the illumination with themedium diffused light color temperature; wherein when the selectionswitch 1041 is connected to the third switching position for operatingthe third loading option 1033, the total electric power T is thereforedelivered to second LED lighting load 1052 to generate the illuminationwith the high diffused light color temperature.

Please refer to FIG. 12-2 which is a schematic block diagram drawn toillustrate a color temperature tuning circuitry under the generalplatform of FIG. 12 with the power allocation circuitry 103 beingconfigured with an electronic switch comprising a microcontroller 1035electrically coupled with a first semiconductor switching device 1034and a second semiconductor switching device 1036 to respectively outputthe first electric power P1 delivered to the first LED lighting load andthe second electric power 2 delivered to the second LED lighting load1052. With such configuration FIG. 12-2 is obviously supported by FIG.8A; wherein the DC power source 3′ in FIG. 8A is obviously an embodimentof the power source 101 in FIG. 12-2 ; wherein the infrared ray sensor11′ in FIG. 8A is obviously an embodiment of the external control device104 in FIG. 12-2 ; wherein the microcontroller 12′, the firstunidirectional semiconductor switching device 14′a and the secondunidirectional semiconductor switching device 14′b in FIG. 8A jointlyform a power allocation circuitry configured with an electronic switchis obviously an embodiment of the power allocation circuitry 103 in FIG.12-2 , wherein the microcontroller 12′ in FIG. 8A corresponds to thecontroller 1035 in FIG. 12-2 , wherein the first unidirectionalsemiconductor switching device 14′a and the second unidirectionalsemiconductor switching device 14′b respectively correspond to the firstsemiconductor switching device 1034 and the second semiconductorswitching device 1036 in FIG. 12-2 ; wherein the load 2′a and the load2′b in FIG. 8A respectively correspond to the first LED lighting load1051 and the second LED lighting load 1052 in FIG. 12-2 .

As a summary of the present disclosure, the present invention teaches atheory and a technical foundation for building a technical framework ofa colour temperature tuning technology composing a power allocationalgorithm and a power allocation circuitry; wherein the power allocationalgorithm is a software for managing a process of dividing a totalelectric power between at least a first LED load emitting light with afirst colour temperature CT1 and a second LED load emitting light with asecond colour temperature CT2 to generate a plurality of pairedcombinations of a first electric power X or P1 allocated to the firstLED load and a second electric power Y or P2 allocated to the second LEDload to generate a plurality of mingled light colour temperatures CTappthru a light diffuser according to a colour temperature tuning formulaCTapp=CT1·X/(X+Y)+CT2·Y/(X+Y) and X+Y=Constant, wherein the secondcolour temperature CT2 is higher than the first colour temperature CT1;and the power allocation circuitry is a hardware circuit structureconfigured with an electronic switch or an electric switch electricallyconnected in series with a DC power and the two LED loads emitting lightwith different color temperatures for allocating the DC power betweenthe first LED load and the second LED load according to the powerallocation algorithm.

The above-mentioned descriptions represent merely the exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure, without any intention to limit thescope of the present disclosure thereto. Various equivalent changes,alterations or modifications based on the claims of present disclosureare all consequently viewed as being embraced by the scope of thepresent disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. An LED lighting device, comprising: alight-emitting unit comprising at least two LED lighting loads emittinglights with different light color temperatures including at least afirst LED lighting load emitting a light with a first light colortemperature and a second LED lighting load emitting a light with asecond light color temperature, wherein the first light colortemperature CT₁ and the second light color temperature CT₂ arerespectively designed with different values of color temperatureselected in a color temperature selection range between 1500K and 7500Kwith the second light color temperature CT2 being higher than the firstlight color temperature CT1, wherein the color temperature selectionrange between 1500K and 7500K represents a daily color temperaturevariation range of a daylight performed by the sun; a light diffuser tocover the at least two LED lighting loads emitting lights with differentlight color temperatures to create a diffused light with a diffusedlight color temperature; a switching circuitry electrically coupled witha power source and the light-emitting unit to output a total electricpower T to the light emitting unit; a power allocation circuitrycomprising a controller, a first driver circuitry, and a second drivercircuitry; a power allocation algorithm; a power supply unit; and anexternal control unit, comprising at least a first external controldevice to manage the power allocation circuitry for tuning and selectinga corresponding diffused light color temperature; wherein the switchingcircuitry outputs the total electric power T to the light-emitting unitthru the power allocation circuitry; wherein the controller iselectrically coupled with at least the first external control device,the first driver circuitry and the second driver circuitry; wherein thepower allocation circuitry operates a power allocation scheme accordingto the power allocation algorithm to execute a reverse yet complementarypower adjustment process between allocating a first electric power X tothe first LED lighting load and allocating a second electric power Y tothe second LED lighting load such that the total electric power Tdelivered to the light-emitting unit remains unchanged while thediffused light color temperature of an illumination of thelight-emitting unit thru the light diffuser can be adjusted according tothe following power allocation algorithm for tuning the diffused lightcolor temperature;CTapp=CT1·X/(X+Y)+CT2·Y/(X+Y) wherein CTapp is the diffused light colortemperature of the light-emitting unit thru the light diffuser, whereinCT1 is the first light color temperature of the first LED lighting loadand CT2 is the second light color temperature of the second LED lightingload, wherein (X+Y) represents the total electric power T delivered tothe light-emitting unit; wherein X/(X+Y)=R1 represents a powerallocation ratio of the total electric power T allocated to the firstLED lighting load and Y/(X+Y)=R2 represents a power allocation ratio ofthe total electric power T allocated to the second LED lighting load,the diffused light color temperature tuning formula is thereforeidentically expressed as CTapp=R1·CT1+R2·CT2, with 0≤R1≤1, 0≤R2≤1 andR1+R2=1; wherein the units of the diffused light color temperature ofthe light-emitting unit, the first light color temperature of the firstLED lighting load and the second light color temperature of the secondLED lighting load are Kelvin (K), and the units of the first electricpower X and the second electric power Y are Watt (W); wherein the firstdriver circuitry is electrically connected with the switching circuitryand the first LED lighting load, wherein the second driver circuitry iselectrically connected with the switching circuitry and the second LEDlighting load; wherein the controller is electrically coupled with atleast the first external control device, the first driver circuitry andthe second driver circuitry, wherein the first driver circuitry isconfigured with at least a first unidirectional semiconductor switchingdevice and the second driver circuitry is configured with at least asecond unidirectional semiconductor switching device; wherein thecontroller outputs a first control signal to control the first drivercircuitry to deliver the first electric power X to the first LEDlighting load, and a second control signal to control the second drivercircuitry to deliver the second electric power Y to the second LEDlighting load according to the power allocation algorithm for adjustingand setting the diffused light color temperature; wherein for tuning thediffused light color temperature to a lower diffused light colortemperature, the controller operates to control the first drivercircuitry to increase the first electric power X delivered to the firstLED lighting load and at the same time operates to control the seconddriver circuitry to decrease the second electric power Y delivered tothe second LED lighting load with the same pace; wherein for tuning thediffused light color temperature to a higher diffused light colortemperature, the controller operates to control the first drivercircuitry to decrease the first electric power X delivered to the firstLED lighting load and at the same time operates to control the seconddriver circuitry to increase the second electric power Y delivered tothe second LED lighting load with the same pace; wherein the controlleris designed with a light color temperature switching scheme, whereinpaired combinations of different power allocation ratios, R1 and R2,respectively for controlling the first electric power X delivered to thefirst LED lighting load and the second electric power Y delivered to thesecond LED lighting load for creating different diffused light colortemperatures are designed in the controller for operating a pick andplay process according to at least one first external control signalgenerated by at least the first external control device for performingthe corresponding diffused light color temperature; wherein the at leastone first external control signal is an infrared light reflected from anobject entering and staying in a detection zone, wherein at least thefirst external control device is an active infrared ray sensor fortransmitting an infrared ray and detecting the infrared light reflectedfrom the object with a signal format interpretable by the controller forexecuting the pick and play process for selecting and performing thecorresponding diffused light color temperature performance from thelight color temperature switching scheme; wherein the power sourceconfigured in the power supply unit outputs a DC power for operating theLED lighting device.
 2. The LED lighting device according to claim 1,wherein the total electric power T outputted by the switching circuitryis a DC power with a constant current.
 3. A method of performing adiffused light color temperature switching control mode for an LEDlighting device, comprising: using at least two LED lighting loadsemitting lights with different light color temperatures including atleast a first LED lighting load emitting a light with a first lightcolor temperature and a second LED lighting load emitting a light with asecond light color temperature to form a light-emitting unit of the LEDlighting device, wherein the first light color temperature CTi and thesecond light color temperature CT2 are respectively designed withdifferent values of color temperature selected in a color temperatureselection range between 1500K and 7500K with the second light colortemperature CT2 being higher than the first light color temperature CT1,wherein the color temperature selection range between 1500K and 7500Krepresents a daily color temperature variation range of a daylightperformed by the sun; using a light diffuser to cover the at least twoLED lighting loads of the light-emitting unit to create a diffused lightwith the diffused light color temperature; using a switching circuitryelectrically coupled with a power source and the light-emitting unit tooutput a total electric power T to the light-emitting unit; using apower allocation circuitry electrically connected with the switchingcircuitry and the at least two LED lighting loads to allocate the totalelectric power T between the first LED lighting load and the second LEDlighting load to determine a selection of the diffused light colortemperature of the light-emitting unit when the light-emitting unit isactivated; using a power allocation algorithm working in conjunctionwith the power allocation circuitry to operate a power allocation schemeto execute a reverse yet complementary power adjustment process formanaging a first electric power X allocated to the first LED lightingload and a second electric power Y allocated to the second LED lightingload such that the total electric power T delivered to thelight-emitting unit remains unchanged while the diffused light colortemperature of an illumination of the light-emitting unit thru the lightdiffuser can be adjusted according to the following light colortemperature tuning formula;CTapp=CT1·X/(X+Y)+CT2·Y/(X+Y), wherein CTapp is the diffused light colortemperature of the light-emitting unit thru the light diffuser, CT1 isthe first light color temperature of the first LED lighting load and CT2is the second light color temperature of the second LED lighting load,wherein (X+Y) represents the total electric power T delivered to thelight-emitting unit, wherein X/(X+Y)=R1 represents a power allocationratio of the total electric power T being allocated to the first LEDlighting load and Y/(X+Y)=R2 represents a power allocation ratio of thetotal electric power T being allocated to the second LED lighting load,the light color temperature tuning formula is therefore identicallyexpressed as CTapp=R1·CT1+R2·CT2, with 0≤R1≤1, 0≤R2≤1 and R1+R2=1,wherein the units of the diffused light color temperature of thelight-emitting unit, the first light color temperature of the first LEDlighting load and the second light color temperature of the second LEDlighting load are Kelvin (K), and the units of the first electric powerX and the second electric power Y are Watt (W); and using an externalcontrol unit comprising at least a first external control device tomanage the at least one power allocation circuitry for tuning andselecting the diffused light color temperature; wherein the powerallocation circuitry is electrically and respectively coupled to thefirst LED lighting load and the second LED lighting load, wherein thepower allocation circuitry comprises a first driver circuitryelectrically coupled with the switching circuitry and the first LEDlighting load, and a second driver circuitry electrically coupled withthe switching circuitry and the second LED lighting load forrespectively controlling the first electric power X delivered to thefirst LED lighting load and the second electric power Y delivered to thesecond LED lighting load, wherein the first driver circuitry isconfigured with at least a first unidirectional semiconductor switchingdevice, wherein the second driver circuitry is configured with at leasta second unidirectional semiconductor switching device, wherein acontroller is further electrically coupled with at least the firstexternal control device, the first driver circuitry and the seconddriver circuitry, wherein at least the first external control deviceoutputs at least one first external control signal to the controller,wherein the controller responsively outputs a first control signal tocontrol the first driver circuitry to deliver the first electric power Xto the first LED lighting load, and a second control signal to controlthe second driver circuitry to deliver the second electric power Y tothe second LED lighting load according to the power allocation algorithmfor adjusting and setting the diffused light color temperature; whereinfor tuning the diffused light color temperature to a lower diffusedlight color temperature, the controller operates to control the firstdriver circuitry to increase the first electric power X delivered to thefirst LED lighting load and at the same time operates to control thesecond driver circuitry to decrease the second electric power Ydelivered to the second LED lighting load with the same pace; whereinfor tuning the diffused light color temperature to a higher diffusedlight color temperature, the controller operates to control the firstdriver circuitry to decrease the first electric power X delivered to thefirst LED lighting load and at the same time operates to control thesecond driver circuitry to increase the second electric power Ydelivered to the second LED lighting load with the same pace; whereinthe controller is designed with a light color temperature switchingscheme, wherein paired combinations of different power allocationratios, R1 and R2, respectively for controlling the first electric powerX delivered to the first LED lighting load and the second electric powerY delivered to the second LED lighting load for creating differentdiffused light color temperatures are designed in the controller foroperating a pick and play process according to the at least one firstexternal control signal generated by at least the first external controldevice for performing a corresponding diffused light color temperature;wherein the at least one first external control signal is an infraredlight reflected from an object entering and staying in a detection zone,wherein at least the first external control device is an active infraredray sensor for detecting the infrared light reflected from the objectwith a signal format interpretable by the controller for executing thepick and play process for selecting and performing the correspondingdiffused light color temperature performance from the light colortemperature switching scheme; wherein the power source configured in thepower supply unit outputs a DC power for operating the LED lightingdevice.
 4. The method of performing a diffused light color temperatureswitching control mode for an LED lighting device according to claim 3,wherein the total electric power outputted by the switching circuitry isa DC power with a constant current.